


New Mobile Report Gundam Wing - War Children

by Whitehat2018



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:28:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 33,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25102444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whitehat2018/pseuds/Whitehat2018
Summary: Peace is fragile - hard won and harder to keep.  As dangerous as man's proclivity to war is, the greed that stokes that proclivity is more pernicious still.  Greed makes no pretense of honor or nobility - it cares naught for what is destroyed, so long as it is satisfied.  In After Colony 210, in an era of peace, a few greedy souls threaten to ignite a new conflict...Note: Characters listed are only those who've appeared in the story so far.  More tags will be added later.
Relationships: Duo Maxwell/Hilde Schbeiker, Relena Peacecraft/Heero Yuy, Roche Nattano/Aretha Walker, Trowa Barton/Quatre Raberba Winner
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	1. The Coming of Antenora

_**After Colony 210:** _

_It has been 14 years since the Barton Foundation launched an attempted coup to overthrow the nascent government of the Earth Sphere United Nation – a coup that was foiled by Foreign Minister Relena Darlian, the ESUN police and peacekeeping organization – “Preventers” and a group of exceptional young mobile suit pilots piloting five Gundams. After preventing Dekim Barton’s coup each of these pilots have scattered to the four winds. Five child soldiers, who laid down their weapons – with varying degrees of success. An era of peace continues onward…_

* * *

_**Zalmava Corporation HQ, L1 Colony Cluster:** **Boardroom.**_

Graham Norton looked up at the lights of the great solar lamp as it slowly ignited, gradually shedding like through the window of his office. “I detest the colonies.” He mused. “Artificial sun, artificial sky.” He looked down at his tea, as he poured a measure of cream into it. “Even the cream was cultured in a vat. Have you ever had fresh milk from a cow, Riley?”

His assistant, Riley Jenks, shook his head. “No. I’ve seen the cow at the colony zoo – and I have to be honest with you, the thought of drinking cream harvested from such an ugly, smelly beast turns my stomach.”

Norton paused, his cup held in both hands. “You colonials are all the same – so _bloodless_. It’s all that recycled air, I think. It feels stale. It _tastes_ stale.” He set his cup down. “Tell me about the status of Project: Draco?”

“The project is proceeding apace at our manufacturing asteroid, sir.” The red-haired Jenks studied a tablet in one hand, and held his tea in the other. “Though I think the market for this product is limited.”

“First rule of business. If there’s no demand for your product,” Graham replied, drumming his fingers on the table, “Create one. Where were you during the war?”

“Here, sir. I was ten. It was an – uncertain time. My parents argued a lot, I remember. There weren’t a lot of resources to go around. We were often hungry.” Jenks set down the tablet, and looked up. “Things got better when the war ended and trade with ESUN picked up.”

“And does that give you second thoughts about what we’re doing?” Graham asked, his gaze keen. He was approaching middle age, dark-haired, a youthful handsomeness slowly giving way to a forbidding sternness.

“Hmmmm.” Jenks said. “No, sir. You have my complete confidence.”

“That’s good. Because I’m going to need the loyalty of a company man for what comes next.” Norton set his cup down. “The armchair generals say that the last war was a showdown between man and machine – traditional soldiers versus automated weaponry, in the form of the Mobile Dolls. Soldiers won – and rightly so, though not for the reasons they say.” He placed his hands on the table and rose to his feet. “The Mobile Dolls pursued programmed objectives and assigned targets – and went no further. They did not, could not choose to spare important yet unexpected resources or extend their field of fire. One Mobile Doll wouldn’t sacrifice itself to save valuable investments of men and resources. They couldn’t think laterally to achieve battlefield objectives. All of which the traditional soldier can do.”

Jenks stirred a measure of cream into his tea, and canted his head. “Go on.”

“But the real secret of the war was that the superior soldier isn’t merely trained – it’s built. Ancient warrior societies knew this, which is why their military training began as soon as a child could walk. Now we speak of such things as atrocity – but ESUN owes its existence to child soldiers. Not a one of the boys piloting those Gundams had reached their seventeenth birthday by Christmas.” Norton’s grin was slow.

“So what you’re saying,” Jenks said, “Is that military hardware is only as good as the pilot. Which means you want to indoctrinate child soldiers to use your new equipment.”

“Future tense doesn’t apply, Jenks.” Norton said. “I planned for this years ago. The first cadre of War Children have completed their training at the Asteroid Omega facility – which is already on its way here.”

“What I don’t understand, sir,” Jenks said, “Is the profit motive. Child soldiers? Mobile suits? Fitting spaceship engines to a research base to make it mobile? This all looks like lunacy. Expensive lunacy.”

“You need to apply a little imagination. Look at things the way they are right now. ESUN has all the power – but their military is a peacekeeping force less than two hundred thousand strong. Then you have the colonies – and the Mars Terraforming Authority. This is all very peaceful, but it’s all very carefully balanced. I intend to add a new variable. The War Children’s job is to panic the Earth and the Colonies, leading to a remilitarization of one of the two parties, which will set the other off and lead to _their_ remilitarization. No business entity operating on Earth or in the Colonies has the capability to manufacture weapons to suit such a rapid rearmament.”

“…Except us. Meaning that we’d have first shot at weapons sales to all parties.” Jenks said, looking down. “It’s a risk, selling weapons to both sides of a war. But we’d be able to name our price.”

Graham Norton’s grin widened. “Now you see. It’s not ideological – it’s just business. Not that the War Children have been trained to see it that way. You’ll understand soon enough. But, enough about that for now. Let’s go over the projections for the upcoming address to the shareholders...” 

* * *

**_Earth, Denmark: The Sanc Kingdom._ **

“…Bounty-hunting.” Heero Yuy slid out from underneath the car he’d been working on, and fixed the man crouched next to him with a steely gaze. “That’s what you’ve been doing? No wonder your wife threw you out of the house.” His hands were stained with grease and rust, and his old t-shirt had oil stains on it.

“Come on man, how else is a guy with my skillset supposed to make a lot of money fast?” Duo Maxwell slipped Heero a wrench. “After my motorcycle accident, I had a lot of bills-“

“You could have asked me for the money.” Heero said, before he rolled back under the car. “I would’ve given it to you.”

“And you would’ve gotten it from Relena!” Duo said, rolling his eyes, “Which means I would’ve been in hock to the Queen of Earth.” When Heero paused beneath the car, Duo sighed. “ _Abdicated_ Queen of Earth. The point stands, Heero. Nice car, by the way.”

“It’s a classic. It even runs on an archaic gasoline combustion engine. I’m pulling that whole system out and I’m going to refit it with a fuel cell motor.” There was the sound of a rusted bolt giving way underneath the car, and Heero gave a grunt of satisfaction. “It still strikes me as wasteful, having these personal projects with no purpose but my own enjoyment. Even after all these years.”

Duo whistled. “Nice. A fitting chariot for the –“ He wiped his cheek with the back of his hand, leaving a grease smudge on it. “So you’re getting married, huh? Relena finally proposed?” He fell into laughter, when Heero went still again.

“Sometimes I forget how annoying you are.” Heero sighed. “Actually I proposed. I gave her a card – it’s a running joke between us.”

“That’s not very romantic.” Duo said, emerging from his laughter. “But it is very you.”

Heero returned to loosening bolts under the car. “Actually it was the second time I proposed to her. She turned me down the first time.”

“When was that?” Duo asked. 

“…Fourteen years ago, after the end of the war.” Heero said. “It’s just as well. Neither of us were ready. Too young. Too many things to figure out.”

Duo whistled, slowly. “I knew you had it bad, but _that_ bad? Wow. But hey, Hilde and I got married not long after—”

“Like I said, _too young_.” Heero growled. “Hand me the 10mm.” He reached his hand out from under the car.

“That stings.” Duo said, before he dropped the wrench into Heero’s palm.

“You know, she’d give you the money no questions asked. Relena likes Hilde. She _even_ likes you.” Heero said, as he worked on another bolt. “She wouldn’t consider it a debt.”

“But _I_ would.” Duo sighed. “Look, Hilde and I – it’s –“

“You have a son.” Heero said, acid creeping into his voice. “You have a responsibility to your family. You need to be _there_. Don’t tell me it’s complicated, it’s anything but.” He slid out from under the car, and got to his feet in an easy movement, before walking to a workbench to begin cleaning the grease off his hands. “You still think you’re some kind of curse on anybody who gets close to you. It’s tragic when a fifteen-year old feels that way. It’s _pathetic_ when a thirty-year old man does.” He scrubbed his hands clean. He stopped, and stared off into the distance for a moment. “Relena and I are thinking about starting a family.”

Duo spun around, his hand upraised to deliver a retort. Then he paused, and blinked. “No way. Really? When did _that_ happen?”

Heero tilted his head, considering. “When I turned thirty and realized I stood good odds of actually growing old.” He threw the towel over his shoulder. “It isn’t something she would’ve ever asked me for, but it would make her happy-“

“Which means it’d make you happy.” Duo said, before he rubbed his temple with the palm of his hand. “Well, you’ve put more thought into it than Hilde and I did with D Squared. Twelve years old and I pinball back and forth between laughing my butt off at the kid and wanting to strangle him.”

“Hmmm.” Heero grunted, his eyes half-lidded. “What’s parenthood like?”

“…There’s a question I never thought I’d hear from you. Well…” Duo stretched his arms above his head, popping his knuckles. “They depend on you for everything, at first. There’s a lot of needs assessment – do they have a stomachache, did they poop, do they just want to be held – then their personality starts to emerge, and watching them grow gets _real_ interesting.” He grinned, wide. “Then starting at about, ooh, nine or so, they start to realize how much they depend on you and they start to resent it.” Then Duo sighed. “I’d do anything for that kid. _Anything_ , Heero. That’s what it’s like.”

Heero gestured for Duo to follow him out of the garage. “Relena and I will probably use an Artificial Womb. We travel a lot. The stress wouldn’t be healthy.”

“Ehhhhhhhh…” Duo said, “That’s probably for the best. Holding Hilde’s hair back while she puked wasn’t my idea of a good time.” He stepped outside, and then stretched, blinking into the sunlight. “Natural light, man. Intense.”

“You get used to it.” Heero said. “Relena’s leaving for the L-2 cluster in a few days. Stick around until then, and we’ll give you a ride. I guarantee we’ve got a more comfortable room than whatever flophouse you’ve been staying in.”

Duo chuckled, and then turned to look up at the palace. “A couple of days in the gloriously restored ancestral estate of the House of Peacecraft? Too bad I only brought my riding leathers and not my Sunday suit! Will there be riding? Fox-hunting? Tea on the veranda with the cream of European nobility? Dinner with the Queen of England?”

“The Queen of England was here last month, we took the horses out last week, Relena hates fox-hunting, and I don’t know about the cream of European Nobility, but Dorothy Catalonia will be coming for tea tomorrow.” Heero replied, as he locked up the garage.

“OoooooOOoooh. A tete-a-tete with the Neo-Titanium Lady! How absolutely agonizing!” Duo snorted. “You’re getting soft, Heero. Dinners with royalty. You live in a palace, you’re marrying the Queen of the World – and what’s worse I think you like living like this!” Duo pointed, accusingly. “What happened to the guy who I watched set his own broken leg!?”

“He got offered a soft bed and a hot breakfast every morning, compared it to trying to catch a few hours’ sleep in Wing Zero’s cockpit, ration bars and your disgusting coffee, and he took the deal.” Heero replied. “Just because I’m willing to live a certain way doesn’t mean I ever enjoyed it.” Heero started up the walk to the palace. As he walked, a man their age, rakishly handsome but primly dressed as a Gentleman’s Gentleman, came barreling down the walk chasing a horde of massive dogs.

“Whoa! Whoa-a-a-a.” Duo said. “Are those dogs, or some new dog-shaped model of mobile suit?!” He backed up.

Heero jammed two fingers in his mouth, and whistled, shrilly – the dogs broke off their run and turned, barreling through a flowerbed. He pointed at the walkway in front of him. “Sit.” On command, the dogs promptly dropped into a sit on the paving stones, and stared up at him adoringly, tongues lolling. He turned back to Duo. “It’s fine, I trained them. …Irish Wolfhounds. Relena’s favorite dog.”

Duo unfolded himself – he seemed to have frozen preparatory to jumping. “…They remind me an awful lot of somebody I know.”

The man chasing them skidded to a halt in front of the two of them. He bent over, catching his breath. “Heero- thank you. They broke out of their run again. I would’ve been all day catching them… again.” He straightened up. “They only mind Heero and Lady Darlian.”

“I’ll go fix the door of their run so this doesn’t happen again.” Heero said. “In the meantime, Vitel, take Duo to the house and give him a guest room. Duo, this is Sejanus Vitel, Relena’s chief butler and personal valet.”

“Sir.” Vitel turned. “Duo… Maxwell? Pilot of the Deathscythe Gundam?” He quirked his mouth. “It’s so interesting to meet you and not be in immediate peril.”

“Uh…” Duo gave the butler a blank look.

“Once upon a time I was Corporal Sejanus Vitel, OZ. You downed my mobile suit during the war – cost me my right arm and leg. Sir.”

“Oh, crap.” Duo said, his expression flattening. “Well, as lame as this sounds, it was nothing personal.”

Vitel gave a small shake of his head and a sigh. “It was war. I was lucky. And my cybernetic arm and leg are almost as good as the real thing – in some ways, better. So no, no hard feelings. I’ll see to Mr. Maxwell’s comfort, Heero-“

Heero had already set off down the path toward the kennels. He gave another shrill whistle, and called out “Heel!” causing the horde of Grayhounds to go gamboling along behind him.

Vitel studied Heero’s back, for a moment, and then spun back to Duo. “Right then, shall we?”

Duo let out a small laugh at Heero, and then glanced back at the butler. “So, Vitel. I’ve got just one question. Which wing of this barn is mine? Holy cow, is there a mobile suit hangar and a MO Asteroid stashed in there, too?”

Vitel coughed, politely, to stifle a laugh.

* * *

“Lady Relena,” Vitel called, leaning into the conservatory, “A friend of Heero’s is going to be spending the next couple of days here and accompanying us on our trip to the colonies… if you approve?”

Relena looked up from watering a leafy fern. “Hm? Which friend?”

“Hellooooo, princess!” Duo leaned into the room, waving his arm.

Relena gave a little smirk. “That friend. Hello, Duo. It’s fine, Vitel. Put him up in the Red Suite.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“And he’ll be having dinner with us tonight, of course.” Relena added, as she began to trim leaves off of a flower bush.

“Yes ma’am.”

“And joining us for tea tomorrow.” Relena added.

“Do I gotta?” Duo said, his voice rising to a whine. “I mean, Dorothy Catalonia’s so _weird_ …”

Relena tilted her head. “It would be my very great pleasure if you would take tea with us tomorrow, Duo.”

“Aw…” Duo ducked his head. “Shucks. Yes, ma’am.”

“Thank you, Duo.” Relena returned to pruning the flowerbush. “…That’ll be all, Sejanus.”

“Ma’am.” The butler ducked out.

Relena studied a flower, checking it carefully. “How wonderful. Now I won’t have to rely on Heero to prop up my conversation with Dorothy.” She returned to pruning leaves off the plant. “Talk about operating solo…”

* * *

**_The Next Morning…_ **

“Oh, Relena!” Dorothy said. “The flowers are _splendid_. Thank you.” She handed the fresh bouquet off to her associate, a tall, slender man with a shock of blond hair. “Take care of these, Roche.” Her other associate, a woman, gave a curtsey. “Queen Relena.”

“Please, Aretha. I abdicated the throne long ago,” Relena curtsied in turn. “It’s all right to just call me Relena.”

“I couldn’t possibly,” The blue-haired woman said, her hand over her mouth. “It would be much too presumptuous-“

“Roche and Aretha are hopelessly steeped in the trappings of aristocracy.” Dorothy said, gesturing as she strode further into the house. “They’re presents from my grandfather – they were sworn to his service as Duke of Catalonia, and when his title passed to me, so did they. But I couldn’t _ask_ for more capable or devoted assistants.”

“Bodyguards, you mean.” Relena said, turning to guide the three out onto a verada, opening out onto a pond. Flowering vines twined around the branches, sweetening the air with their scent, and singing birds filled the air with music. Vitel stood at prim attention, a service tray at his right hand. Heero and Duo sat at the table, and didn’t rise.

“Assistants who are sometimes bodyguards.” Dorothy conceded. “As a Senator, I find their service useful.” She gave a secretive smile. “As president, they will be even moreso.” She turned to the table. “Heero! And Duo Maxwell. What a pleasure.”

Duo looked up. “You know, I’d look you in the eye and say hello, Dorothy? But I can’t stop staring at your eyebrows. They’re freakin’ distracting. I swear they’re moving.”

“As charming as you ever were. With the same boyish wit you always had.” Dorothy said, before she seated herself, and then gestured for Roche and Aretha to sit beside her. “As I was saying, I’m afraid I’ve come with an agenda. I’ve decided to run for the Presidency, and I want you to sit in my cabinet as Prime Minister. Governing ESUN is a tremendous task, and I want the very best people to help me run things.”

“Not to mention the endorsement of Queen Relena would send you skyrocketing in the polls.” Duo said, a wide grin crossing his face, as he gave a thumbs up. “Not that you haven’t built yourself a fierce reputation as a people’s advocate, oh Neo-Titanum Lady. Even I’m impressed…”

Dorothy held up her teacup, as Vitel filled it, and she took a biscuit off a plate. “Baldly stated, yes. If not your participation, your endorsement.”

Relena canted a look at Heero. “I won’t say it isn’t a tempting thought. There’s a lot of good I could do. But… our plans-“

Heero tilted his head. “Do what you want, Relena. I’ll back your play.”

Dorothy looked back and forth. “Plans?”

Relena hesitated for a moment. “Heero and I were discussing starting a family.”

Dorothy set her cup down and clapped her hands together. “Oh, _wonderful_. Please, don’t put your plans on hold on _my_ account. Whether you take the cabinet position or not, I’ll make sure you have everything you need. I was also hoping you’d made some concrete plans about your wedding?”

“A small ceremony.” Relena mused. “Only immediate friends and relatives.”

“I suggested we elope.” Heero added. “We bargained. Quatre’s going to perform the ceremony.”

Aretha set down her teacup. “…The wedding of Queen Relena to a hero of the Eve War is a chance to re-affirm our hard-won unity to the entire Earth Sphere United Nation. With all due respect, I think you’re wasting an opportunity.”

Roche reached out and took Aretha’s hand. “Aretha’s right, my lady. Your wedding should be a grand and glorious spectacle, something that everyone can look back on and remember.”

“I considered that. But in the end, it’s not just about me. Heero would do whatever I asked him to.” Relena said, to which Heero gave a curt nod, and she continued. “But I have a responsibility to him and his feelings.”

“And this is why they’re so wonderful together, Roche.” Dorothy said. “The Princess and her gallant knight. A love story for the ages.”

“I suppose so.” Roche said, as Aretha gave his hand a squeeze.

Heero turned his head and glanced at Roche. “You and Aretha. You’re married?”

Aretha paused. “…Twelve years this July.”

Heero stared, as if to look right through them. “A contact in the Preventers got it from Lady Une herself that you were the leader of OZ Prize – Duke Dermail Catalonia’s personal military retinue. During the war OZ Prize was sent to investigate a suspected mobile suit manufactory at MO-V. They never returned. You traveled out there in the Grand Chariot, a capital ship with enough firepower to nuke a colony. There’s no sign of what happened to _it_ , either. ‘Reported lost, with all hands.’ Except for you and your wife, who mysteriously survived. The Preventers never did get good intelligence on what happened out there. Considering that one of Treize’s major rivals for control of OZ traveled out to MO-V later that year and _also_ disappeared, I’m sure Lady Une would very much like to know exactly what OZ Prize found.”

Roche let go of Aretha’s hand, and stiffened. “…You really do get right to the point, don’t you?” He fixed his gaze on Heero’s. “OZ Prize died at MO-V, Heero Yuy. So did Valder Farkill. My own sense of superiority and desire for political power died with them. Beyond that—” He looked at Aretha, and sighed. “Beyond that, it’s not my place to say. I traveled out to MO-V to carry out my liege lord’s orders. When I returned, my lord was dead, OZ was dead, Treize was dead – the world had changed. A different world, for a different man. But I still had my obligations. I served Duke Dermail Catalonia, and I failed in my service. Now I serve his granddaughter, as Duchess Catalonia. And I won’t fail again.”

Dorothy picked up her cup again. “Don’t let me interrupt. I’m enjoying the staredown.”

“My lady-“ Aretha said, before she paused. “…Yes, my lady.”

“Hey Heero,” Duo said, “My tea’s getting cold.” He picked up his cup and held it out in front of Heero’s face, “Why don’t you turn those laser eyebeams on it and heat it back up for me. Would ya, buddy?”

Relena gave a small snort, and held her napkin over her mouth. “Enough about that. Heero and I will discuss your proposal and make our decision together during our trip. You’ll get my public endorsement either way.”

“And… the wedding?” Dorothy asked, her expression bright.

“Of course you’re invited.” Relena said, feigning surprise. “…You stabbed the man officiating the wedding through the lung. That makes you practically family, Dorothy.”

Duo’s cackle caused birds to fly up out of the nearby garden and away.

* * *

**_Space:_ **

“This is Preventer Spotter ‘Spectator’ reporting to observation station ‘Beholder’,” Lieutenant Geoffrey Latriss said, as he leaned back in the comm station chair of the Preventers’ scout shuttle. “The mysterious foreign object is still approaching at a high rate of velocity, angle and vector indicate that your suspicions were correct, it is a mechanically-propelled object and not an asteroid or comet as initial deep scans seemed to indicate. If it wasn’t for the way it’s moving, every scanner I have would tell me it’s just a rock.” He rubbed his temples, and then said, “I can’t wait to get back to base, my knees are cramped in this cheese box of a shuttle and Nunez snores-“

His partner piped up. “You mumble gibberish in your sleep, Latriss.”

“Anyway, I’ll keep reporting in as things develop, it should be coming into visual range soon. Spectator, signing off.”

Latriss rose from his chair, and put his hand on the small of his back. “I would take a walk, if there was anywhere to take a walk to. Got any more of that coffee?”

Nunez looked up from his station. Yeah, I’ll just – hey, Geoffrey. …What happened to the star-field?” He stood up, suddenly, as a set of four glowing green eyes appeared at the window. “What the – is that a--!”

There was a small pinprick of light as the shuttle exploded – then darkness.

In the darkness, a lone figure sent out a signal. “This is Mad Tarantula Gundam, reporting to base. The observation shuttle has been eliminated. Per mission instructions we will maintain our place on the perimeter. As of right now, Antenora, your path to the L-2 colony cluster is clear.”


	2. Kali's Children

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During and previous to the Eve War, the L-2 colony cluster was known as a particularly disreputable place. One of the older colony clusters, it was known for its antiquated and failing systems, and numerous conflicts between its rough-and-tumble colonials, and the forces of the United Earth Sphere Alliance.
> 
> During this era of peace, ESUN has placed particular time and energy into refurbishing the colony cluster. Fourteen years after the end of the war, it is a resurgent hot-zone of technological development and governmental and private investment. Through it all, the citizens of L-2 have maintained their tough and independent spirit.
> 
> This makes the L-2 colony cluster a particularly inviting target for those bent on destruction...

**_An Interview, circa A.C. 205:_ **

The interviewer spoke from offscreen. “Good evening, Master Winner. It’s a pleasure to have you here today. Especially considering that these must be difficult topics for you.” 

Quatre Raberba Winner sat demurely, with his hands folded in his lap, his head slightly bowed. “That’s all right. It’s important to provide a first-hand testimonial about events that happen during war, for the sake of our shared history.” He looked up, and smiled.

“…Tell us about Relena Darlian. What were your first impressions of her?”

Quatre blinked, looking surprised. “Oh! I thought you’d be asking me questions about the war, first.”

“Well, we want to get perspectives on some of its main actors, and we understand you spent an extended period in her company.”

Quatre nodded, slowly. “That makes sense.” He paused. “Well, my first impression of Relena was – hm. How to put it. She was striking. Elfin, I think? But she has this look – like she’s looking past appearances and into your soul. It makes her look far sterner than she really is. She can actually be quite intimidating that way. But then she smiles – and it all falls away, and the room seems to get just a little bit brighter. I was quite struck by her.”

“And her personality?”

Quatre took a sip of water, and then set his glass down, before answering. “Kind. More calculating than she lets on. She has… an intuitive ability to sense the emotions and motives of others, even when their exterior is intimidating or—” He put his hand over his mouth, “…downright hostile.”

“You seem like you’re remembering something, Master Winner?”

“…Someone, actually. Anyway, I’ll always think fondly on the time I spent in the Sanc Kingdom – it was a tumultuous time and yet somehow, I can’t help but remember it as an oasis of peace in a turbulent world.” Quatre glanced up, and seemed to look off at something in the distance. “The thing about Relena Darlian is, despite having a peaceful nature, she inspires people to fight, no matter how exhausted or heartbroken they are. Including me.”

Quatre sipped his water again. “We’re all very fortunate she’s a kindhearted person.”

* * *

**_AC 210: L-2 Colony Cluster_ , _Colony Delta_**

Duo Maxwell Jr. groaned, and fidgeted in his seat. “Aw, man… assemblies suck. We’re all packed in here like a tin of vat sardines just to hear some blowhard talk about colonial expansion and technological development… why should I care about that when I’m gonna go into bounty hunting like my old man? …Sucks!”

The student next to Duo turned to look at him, incredulous. “D-2, don’t you ever shut up?”

D-2 beamed. “Nope!”

The student rolled his eyes. “You weren’t even paying attention, otherwise you’d know the guest speaker is—”

Up on stage, the principal tapped his microphone. “Testing, testing, is this on? Okay. Ahem. Good afternoon everyone. As citizens of the colonies, our lives are dependent upon technology. It is the very firmament upon which we stand. Maintaining that technology and increasing its efficiency and the bounty it can provide to humanity is the foremost concern of our science and industry. As citizens of the colonies many of you will contribute to that continuous technological development, each in your own way. To discuss this with you, I am proud to introduce a special guest.”

“Here it comes,” D-2 snorted, “Ladies and gentlemen, Blowhard McBigbutt—”

The principal gestured. “Master Quatre Raberba Winner!”

D-2 stopped. “Wait. Hey! I know that guy! He fought in the war with my dad.” He waved his arms frantically. “HEY! HEY QUATRE! IT’S ME, D-2! DUO’S SON! HEY, HI!”

The student next to D-2 batted at him. “Will you cool off, there’s no way you—”

Quatre stepped up to the mic. “Good afternoon, everyone. And hello to you too, D-Squared. It’s very nice to see you… but maybe settle down for a minute?”

D-2 dropped into his seat and stuck his tongue out at his stunned classmate. “Bleah!”

Quatre chuckled. “As your principal was saying, in this age of peace we are entering into a new age of technological advancement. Prior to the end of the last war, many of our colonies were aging, running on archaic technology and shoestring budgets, some with entire sectors incapable of healthily supporting human life. We’ve been playing catchup for the last decade and a half, but as we pioneer new technologies, we’re not only updating the colonies to where they should be, we’re planning for their future stability and continued development. You’re still young, but even now you’re taking steps toward your future careers.” Quatre smiled, and continued. “And today I’ll be outlining the new plans the Winner Consortium is spearheading in cooperation with ESUN and other private interests for growth out here in the colonies and their integration with Earth, including plans for a Space Elevator and a new orbital habitat to make travel from Earth to the Colonies faster, safer and easier for _everyone_ …”

D-2 asided to his classmate, “My dad says that Quatre’s got the superpower of making boring things sound interesting…”

* * *

**_ESUN Shuttle “Sunrise”:_ **

Heero opened his eyes, at the sound of the hiss of recycled air, and then scowled. In the seat next to him, Duo was reclined in his chair, head tilted back, snoring loudly. “…Doesn’t this bother you?” He asked Relena, sitting across from him.

Relena looked up and removed the buds from her ears. “Mmm? I was tuning him out, actually. I’m watching a livecast of Quatre giving a presentation to students at the L-2 cluster.” She smirked. “Actually, it’s Duo’s son’s school. He’s a very boisterous young man.” She looked back down at her tablet and put her earbuds back in. “Anyway, I’m not paying attention, so consider Total Pacifism relaxed.”

“Roger that.” Heero turned, and punched Duo in the upper arm, fist impacting into muscle.

Duo started awake with a snort. “OWWWWWWW!” He clutched his upper arm and shot Heero a venomous look. “Now what’d you go and do that for?”

Heero returned to his book. Duo grumbled, and surreptiously read over Heero’s shoulder. Then he looked up, suddenly.

“…Shuttle’s stopped.” Duo said.

“…Yeah.” Heero said, his eyes narrowing. A member of Relena’s staff entered from the back of the shuttle. “…Madame Foreign Minister, Preventer Orbital Security has just contacted us and is redirecting us to Lunar Base—”

“The Preventers?” Duo unclipped his seatbelt and stood up. “Why would the Preventers be diverting our shuttle? What the hell’s going on!?”

“I-I don’t know, they simply made the request that the Foreign Minister change her plans-“ The young woman said, startled.

“Look, I _live_ in the L-2 cluster. My _wife and kid_ are there, so if there’s some kinda crisis I want to know _right now_ -“

Relena looked up, and at her staffer. “Jenet, patch Preventers Orbital through to the monitor in this cabin, please.”

“…Yes ma’am.” She turned and walked back inside.

A moment later, a monitor on the far wall came to life, showing a young man, who stood at stiff, sudden attention. “Madame Foreign Minister.”

“What’s going on?” Relena asked, pinning her gaze on the Preventer. “Why am I being diverted from L-2 to the moon?”

“Well, ma’am.” The Preventer officer suddenly looked nervous, “We were monitoring the approach of a unidentified flying object in the direction of L-2 and – our listening posts went dark. We suspect they may have been destroyed, ma’am. And Beholder indicated the object was accelerating. The Preventers have established a picket to intercept it. We don’t want to cause chaos in the colony, but felt it would be best if you diverted to Lunar Base for the time being.”

“A _UFO_?” Duo said. “Like a _ship_? We’re not diverting anywhere, we’re going to L-2 to get Hilde and D-2!”

Heero remained silent as a stone.

Relena tilted her chin up. “…We’ll remain where we are for now, and proceed when you give the all-clear, or divert as necessary.” She glanced back to Duo. “I’m sorry Duo, this is the best I can do. The Preventers have every right to divert my shuttle if they feel there’s a danger.”

The Preventer officer stiffened. “Yes ma’am. With your permission, we’ll send a Preventer escort to your location just to be safe.”

“That’s fine.” Relena said. “Keep me informed.”

“Very well.” The officer killed the signal.

“…This is bad.” Heero said.

Duo lifted out of his chair, and began to pace the floor, the reduced gravity in the shuttle causing his steps to spring. “I’ll take one of the shuttle’s escape pods and-“

Heero’s hand shot out and grabbed Duo’s wrist. “ _Sit down_. We’re not abandoning Hilde and D-2. But you need to calm down until we have more information.”

Relena looked up, and her frown deepened. “What is going _on_ out there?”

* * *

**_Space, Outside the L-2 Colony Cluster:_ **

“We are within range of the L-2 cluster. The Preventers have established a forward defensive line. For all the good it will do them. Let’s show them what they’re really up against.”

“Yes ma’am. Dropping the stealth field… now.”

Before the Preventers picket line, the darkness of space seemed to melt away, revealing a massive spaceship, gunmetal gray, with a thick main body and flaring engines creating an image reminiscient of a descending bird of prey in flight. “This is the dreadnought _Antenora,_ ” the ship broadcast. “And we are the War Children. We have been created by the Holy Mother Durga to show you the error of your ways.”

On a nearby ship, a Preventer captain radioed, frantically. “We’ve miscalculated the nature of the threat! Put the L-2 cluster on high alert and prepare for battle!”

“I’m afraid it’s too little, too late.” Antenora radioed. “You see, our orders are to begin our conquest with a demonstration of the power of what happens when Mother Durga becomes Kali and begins her dance of destruction. _Open Antenora’s Third Eye!”_

A Preventer officer leaned over their console. “Detecting a massive energy discharge from the dreadnought. Captain, it’s powering up some kind of weapon, but I’m not sure what—”

A lens on the front of Antenora glowed to life, radiant and purple, and space seemed to distort in a line ahead of it.

“…Discharge detected. I – captain, _they aimed for the colony_!” The Preventer officer looked up. “I’m detecting a massive gravitic distortion – sir, it’s like a _black hole_!”

Then the nearest colony imploded, as the micro-singularity Antenora created opened, and then collapsed in on itself. The colony’s infrastructure buckled, and turned in on itself – and then the colony exploded, in a violent ball of light.

“Brace for impact!” The Preventer captain called, as a distortion wave reached the Preventer picket line, scattering mobile suits and ships before it. “And prepare for battle!”

* * *

**_L-2 Colony Cluster_ , _Colony Delta_**

“So in conclusion,” Quatre said, “It’s an exciting time to be in space, and as you complete your educations you’re going to have your pick of exciting careers that will help lead all of humanity, everywhere into a brighter tomorrow-“ Warning klaxons sounded, and Quatre looked up. “What? That’s the colony emergency alert system…” He grabbed the mic. “Everyone _stay calm_.” Then he put a device in his ear. “What’s going _on_ out there, Mohammed?!”

“Sir, we just received an emergency alert – something has entered the L-2 system and—” Quatre’s system exploded into static.

“Mohammed?” Quatre tapped his earpiece. “Mohammed, come in!” Then he looked up – before the entire colony was rocked on its foundations. “What the—” Quatre staggered, as the children in the audience screamed and began to panic. “Oh no!”

“This is colony control.” A voice called over the colony PA system, as tremors rocked the colony. “An explosive shockwave has struck the colony – we’re detecting fires… widespread disruption of infrastructure…” The PA system dissolved into noise. “…Critical system failure. Please proceed with an orderly evacuation toward the colony escape shuttles! I repeat, the colony is suffering from critical system failure. Please proceed with an orderly evacuation toward the colony escape shuttles!”

“Oh, _no,”_ Quatre said – “Please,” He called, grabbing the mic, “Everyone stay calm! Please find your teachers and make an orderly exit from the building! Please!” He looked around, and then called out, “Duo Jr.! D-2!”

“QUATRE!” D-2 called, pushing himself up amidst a crowd of panicking kids and waving his arms. “HELP!”

Quatre sprang forward and grabbed the boy by the arm, pulling him out of the crush of students. “You’re all right?” He pulled him back, gripping his forearm. “If they’re ordering an evacuation of the colony that means total systems failure is imminent…” He looked up. “We need to get to an escape pod. Come on, D-2!”

D-2 tugged back. “But… my _mom_!’

Quatre grimaced. “…It kills me to leave her, D-2. But your mom and dad would want me to get you to safety!” He looked toward an emergency exit. “Come with me. I’ll protect you.”

* * *

**_ESUN Shuttle “Sunrise”_ :**

Duo stared out the window of the shuttle, his hands braced on the paneling as he curled his fingers into it. “What’s going on out there, come on…”

A pinprick of light blossomed in the distance, and began to grow. “What—” Duo trembled. “…Oh… oh no. I think – I think a colony just _exploded_.”

Heero and Relena rose from their seats.

Relena hit a console with the palm of her hand. “Take us to the L-2 colony cluster now!”

Heero reached out and put his hand on Relena’s arm. “We need to be careful.” But the glimmer in his eyes betrayed him.

Relena met his gaze. “If something’s happened to one of the colonies then there’s going to be people in escape pods who need rescuing. They’re going to need every shuttle that can be spared.”

Heero paused, and then lowered his hand. “…Right. Let’s go then.”

Duo turned, and squeezed his eyes shut. “Hang on guys, we’re coming… please!”

As the shuttle rocketed to life, the Preventer escort shuttle that had parked alongside it frantically accelerated to keep up. “Madame Foreign Minister,” the shuttle radioed, “What are you _doing_!?”

“…They’re going to need every available shuttle to take on survivors.” Relena replied. “So you can either come with us or get out of our way, Preventer shuttle.”

“…Roger that.” The Preventer shuttle replied. Then it fired its engines to keep pace with the ESUN craft.

* * *

**_L-2 Colony Cluster_ , _Colony Delta_**

The quakes shaking the colony were growing worse. As Quatre led D-2 out of the school, he watched pieces of the outer colony ring crumble away. “…Damn! The whole colony’s coming apart! This way!”

Evacuation systems had been piggybacked onto the colony mass transit system when the colony was originally built. This system meant that optimally, no citizen of the colony was more than five minutes from an escape pod or shuttle at any given moment. But as Quatre and Duo pushed through crowds of panicking crowds, the tremors suddenly increased in intensity yet again.

“…We’ve only got a few minutes until the whole thing comes apart. Come on, D-2…” Quatre said, “We’ve got to move fast!” He pulled D-2 behind him, as the boy tripped over his own legs. “…It’s a good thing I’ve been pushing so hard to refit these emergency evacuation systems… back during the war, they were in _really_ bad shape!” He pushed D-2 down a hatch, and then jumped in after him. The slide descended down to an evacuation port – people were hurriedly claiming pods all around them.

“Mommy, mommy!” One little girl called, as her parents pushed her into the arms of her siblings.

“There’s not enough room for your father and I in the pod, sweetie. We’ll get another one! Go!” Then the crowd surged, and Quatre lost sight of them.

Another tremor rocked the colony, and there was a sick sound of tearing metal. The floor began to buckle. “This it.” Quatre said, as he bundled D-2 and himself into space suits, “Critical failure!” He looked at Duo Jr. “I’m sorry,” He said, as he pushed D-2 into an empty escape pod. The colony came apart around them. “But your father saved my life many times. I need to make sure you live, D-2!” He forced the hatch shut, and listened to the hiss as the pod was released and shot into space. The damage to the colony was now so severe, that the port was unable to shut behind the pod. It stayed open, sucking air out into space.

Quatre stared out the open port. “…Not the most reckless chance I’ve ever taken,” He said, before he threw himself out of the open port and into space.

The colony came apart behind him, as metal ripped and shattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hokay! Chapter 2. I like mixing action into my human interest, but always believed a Gundam story should focus on the intimate story occurring on the broader backdrop. So far, I'm pretty happy with the way the characters are taking shape in my head, though Heero remains as stubborn and stony as ever.


	3. Dragon's Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle is joined as Wu Fei leads the Preventers in holding the line against the attack of the War Children. Heero takes a new model of Mobile Suit out to search for Quatre, and old friends reunite.

The Eve War began with an internal coup d’etat fomented by an elite faction of the UESA military, known as “The Specials” or the Organization of the Zodiac, or OZ. OZ was backed by a powerful faction of aristocratic politicians called the Romefeller Foundation. Forces in the space colonies who were aware of OZ’s plans sent five elite pilots in powerful mobile suits called “Gundams” to prevent the coup by destroying OZ, however despite having a dramatic effect on the theatre of battle, they were unable to prevent the coup.

The ensuing year of war was marked by rapidly shifting alliances and theatres of battle. The charismatic chief military leader of OZ, Treize Kushrenada, saw his political power and influence rapidly expand as OZ won victory after victory on military and political fronts. This led to his benefactors in the Romefeller Foundation attempting to check him by relieving him of command and then placing him under house arrest. However, many of OZ’s soldiers and officers were loyal to Treize, not the Romefeller Foundation.

This, along with the Foundation’s plans to transition from pilot-operated mobile suits to advanced drones called Mobile Dolls, led to a revolt within OZ’s ranks. In order to suppress this revolt, the Romefeller Foundation placed its support behind a charismatic sovereign, Relena Peacecraft of the Sanc Kingdom, who had become a strong voice for pacifist negotiation and disarmament during the ongoing conflict.

Testimonials from former members of the Foundation indicate that the most powerful members of the Foundation intended for Queen Relena to be an attractive figurehead who would allow them to pursue their own designs, but those figures underestimated the Queen’s charisma and resolve, as she and her influential allies began the process of eliminating national borders and the establishment of the Earth Sphere United Nation. From the letters of the Marquis Weiridge:

“To tell you the truth, many of us are tired of the bloodthirsty and selfish agenda of men like Dermail Catalonia, and the people are tired of living under the gun. While she is young, Queen Relena speaks to the dignity and worth of all human beings, with a passion that stirs the spirit of old men like myself. When warmongers like the Duke claim that her vision of the future simply isn’t feasible, it begs the question: ‘have we ever even tried?’”

A further complication arose when a faction of colonial rebels calling themselves “White Fang” emerged. This rebellious force sought colonial supremacy and the violent neutralization of Earth. White Fang had insinuated many of its members into OZ’s space forces, some in high positions, and in a series of rapid movements was able to seize or neutralize much of the Romefeller Foundation’s power in outer space. Initially these forces feigned loyalty to Treize, however when the time came to reveal their true intentions, they quickly cast off their disguise. Treize loyalists within their ranks either fled, or were violently purged.

As military confrontation appeared inevitable, Queen Relena ceded power to the re-emergent Treize Kushrenada, who prepared ESUN forces for battle with the White Fang.

These rapidly shifting allegiances defined the Eve Wars, as prominent individuals were assassinated, rose in power, lost power, and re-emerged, with corresponding coups and shifts in allegiance among soldiers and politicians that caused economic panic and civil strife. Though in reality, the strife of the Eve War was really the coming to a head of decades of politicking and conspiracy…

-Excerpt from _The Eve War: A Chronicle of Living History_ , Winner Publications & Media

* * *

**_L-4 Colony Tertius, Animal Preserve:_**

“Man,” A kid said, staring over the fence into the lion enclosure, “That seems like a violation of the safety rules, letting a guy in there to play with the lions.”

“Yeah,” His companion said, furrowing her brow, “But look at them! They’re acting like my old fat tabby.”

The woman standing nearby, watching, smiled. She had a gentle expression and a thick bob of brown hair. “They’re retired circus cats. They can be fierce, but never for him. He’s perfectly safe. They speack one another’s language.”

Indeed, the old gray male lion had rolled over on its back, showing its belly and batting at the air, as the lean young man waved an ostrich feather at it. Aside from a small smile, his face betrayed no emotion. When he glanced up to wipe sweat from his forehead, he revealed green eyes, one covered by a thick shock of brown hair. 

The name he had used was Trowa Barton, though it was never his real name. “Huh?” He looked past the children, at a group of men who had suddenly come racing past, toward a radio parked on the counter of a nearby ice cream stand.

“Hey,” one of the kids said, turning, “What’s going on?”

“…That the spacecraft fired on and destroyed L2-Colony Gamma, and the ensuing shockwave caused an explosion which destabilized L2-Colony Delta, causing the station to come apart in a matter of minutes. Among the missing is industrial Magnate Quatre Raberba Winner, who was addressing a group of schoolchildren…”

“Hey T!” One of the men waved at him. “You should hear this!”

Trowa stood up, and gave the cat a final scratch behind the ears, before leaving the feather. He vaulted the fence with an easy jump and landed neatly on his feet. “Cathy, what’s going on?”

Catherine Bloom turned. “Something’s happened at L2—”

The radio crackled. “…Foreign Minister Darlian, can you give us some insight on what’s going on and ESUN’s response?”

“ESUN’s first priority is the rescue of survivors and the processing of refugees. As the ranking ESUN minister closest to the situation, I am assisting with oversight of refugee processing personally. We’ve set up a site at the Lunar Base to process all refugees and evacuees before they’re transferred to Earth or other colony clusters. One of our first goals is identifying relatives and reuniting families…”

“And Master Winner, Foreign Minister? We understand he’s a personal friend of yours.”

“Quatre Raberba Winner would _demand_ that ESUN’s energy be put toward helping those in need above and beyond locating one person. It’s our fervent hope that he’s in among the refugees being processed or those who have yet to be rescued…”

Catherine put her hand over her mouth. “Oh no. All those _people_ …”

Trowa cast a flat gaze at the radio. “Cathy—”

Catherine glanced up, and closed her eyes, before she put her hand on his arm. “You have to go. I know. I wouldn’t _dream_ of holding you back. Just remember that I love you… little brother.”

Trowa gave a small smile. “I carry that love with me wherever I go, Cathy. It keeps me warm.” His expression grew stern. “Jack, I’m going to need to borrow your bike. You can pick it up at the spaceport.”

“You got it, T!” One of the men said, giving a thumbs up.

* * *

**_Preventers Carrier “Frozen Teardrop”_ **

“Man, I hear the Dragon’s taking charge. Whoever these War Children are, I feel sorry for them.” One of the Preventers said, a joking tone in his voice.

“Yeah, I went through his elite Mobile Suit training course. I never thought I could hear an MS go ‘Ouch’ before, till I engaged in training with him!” His comrade replied.

“He’s also standing right behind you,” Chang Wu Fei said, his tone clipped. The two young men stiffened and saluted, and he stepped past them. At thirty Wu Fei was short, slim, and strong. “Remember that this is not a war zone. Your priority is to maintain the defensive line and ensure that any refugees who’ve drifted into the combat area are safely removed from the zone of fire.” He tilted his head. “It’s human nature to want to put your training to use, but remember your training, put foolish notions of battlefield glory out of your heads. You are enforcers of ESUN’s laws and guardians of its peace.”

The Preventers on deck stiffened. “Sir, yes sir!” 

Wu Fei set his jaw. “Then get in your suits and deploy with your units.”

As the soldiers scatted, he started across the deck. “…War’s like a drug. Already I can feel the euphoria of combat burning in my veins like fire. But understanding the rush of that drug lets me use it, then throw it away. I hope I’ve trained all of them to understand that, too.” He glanced up at the Tallgeese III, looming overhead.

“Now I’m about to go out and fight in a suit you built, Treize. After all these years, I finally realize, for warriors like us, who can do nothing but fight, freedom is choosing why and how we fight, and in dying righteously.” He ascended the ladder and entered the suit, before buckling in. “Too bad none of my pathetic enemies have ever fielded a foe skilled enough to kill me!” He smirked. “Perhaps your last act was to curse me with victory. Chang Wu Fei deploying in the Tallgeese!” The hangar opened, and he blasted out into space, toward the battle line.

* * *

**_L-2 Colony Cluster, Evacuation Corridor, ESUN Flagship “Velvet Glove”_ **

“Foreign minister,” the Preventers captain said, snapping a salute, “…Welcome to the bridge. As you can see, we’re all incredibly busy here. The Velvet Glove is our primary forward base for coordinating refugee processing and the Preventers’ line of containment. But your presence has both inspired us, and kept the colonists from panicking, and for that, we’re grateful. I apologize for the incident with your friend.”

“…That’s all right. Duo’s wife and son lived on Colony Delta. He’s extremely agitated.”

“Yes, knocking out three of my men in an attempt to steal a high-speed shuttle kind of gave that away,” The captain said, stiffly. “Fortunately your bodyguard was there to restrain him. I’ve never seen a choke-hold so swiftly or skillfully applied.”

“Heero cares about Duo, very much. He’d never really hurt him – or allow him to hurt himself.” Relena said.

“Well, we’ll keep him confined in the ship’s brig for the moment.” The captain said. “And he’ll be fine.”

“…Take my advice and keep him lightly sedated and under constant watch.” Heero said, stepping onto the bridge. “The moment you let him regain his wits or let him out of your sight, he’ll be off this ship like a rocket. I know what he’s capable of.” Then he glanced at Relena. “I’m going out to look for Quatre.”

Relena put her hands on Heero’s shoulders. “You really think he’s alive out there? There’s been no sign of him, anywhere.”

Heero leaned in and put his forehead against Relena’s. “Quatre was trained to survive the destruction of a ship or colony, even without an escape pod. We all were. As long as he’s got a spacesuit, he’s got a fighting chance. At least till his air runs out. He’ll have a transponder on him. I find that signal, I find Quatre.” He straightened up. “…I’ll take a mobile suit, captain. Put the Vernier engines on the back of it.”

“I-“ The captain paused. “…This is highly irregular.”

Heero nodded. “I understand. Don’t worry, I’ve taken care of it.”

At that moment, a Preventer ensign at a comm station piped up. “Captain, message coming in for you. It’s Lady Une, Captain.”

The Captain blanched. “I’ll take it right now.” He stepped over and lifted off the ensign’s headset, putting it on himself. “Preventer Gold. Ma’am – I see. Yes ma’am. Yes ma’am. …I understand.” He lifted off the headset. “Lady Une says to provide you with whatever you need. This ship and all its resources are at your disposal to help you rescue Master Winner.”

“I’ve been wanting to try one of the Chameleons out since the Preventers fielded the new design.” Heero said, letting Relena go. “This is a good excuse. Relena, remember that I love you. I’ll be back—” Heero stopped in the doorway. “With Quatre.” Then he departed.

“…For someone so broody your bodyguard makes quite a statement,” the captain said, emerging from his stupor. “…And quite an exit.”

Relena nodded, sharply. “He does, at that. Don’t let the stoicism fool you, captain… Heero’s really very dashing. In his own way.”

* * *

“The P-003XMS Chameleon is a new mobile suit designed for use by the Preventers forces. The Chameleon uses a support system based on the Artificial Intelligence originally designed for the Mobile Doll, but uses it to support a human pilot. This Assist Intelligence adapts the suit’s capabilities, functions and modes based upon collected combat data. This enables the suit to adjust itself based on battlefield conditions, number of enemies, their weapons loadouts, and other factors. This technology makes the Chameleon the most flexible all-purpose mobile suit ever made. However, the downside is, to make the most of the suit you either need a pilot with extensive training working with the Assist Intelligence – or a pilot as adaptable as the Assist Intelligence itself.”

“Interestingly, pilots who work extensively with the Assist Intelligence installed in a specific Chameleon tend to assign the A.I. specific personality traits and treat them as akin to co-pilots. Those pilots who’ve battled Mobile Dolls and piloted a Chameleon say the difference is night and day. Where the Mobile Dolls were alien and cruel, the Assist Intelligence is supportive. Protective, even. I wonder, does the purpose given to an AI by its creator affect its personality?”

-Lady Une’s notes.

* * *

**_L2 Colony Cluster Space. The Preventers’ Picket Line._ **

“Maintain formation,” The Tallgeese called, as it fired its beam cannon, and watched a cluster of enemy mobile suits scatter before it. They were vaguely akin to an Aries, with huge engines and vaguely elongated profiles, long arms mounted with heat claws and forearm cannons. Each of them also had a long, flexible tail mounted with a short range cannon and a retractable heat blade.

Wu Fei watched one of the suits corner a Preventers’ mobile suit and tear through it, ripping it apart. “Do NOT let them separate you from the group. If you do, you’re dead! Do you understand! You’re not here to be heroes, you’re here to hold the line!”

He set his jaw. “Every instinct I have screams to attack, Tallgeese. To unleash your full power and show these dogs the full fury of the man who created you in response to this insult.” He curled his fingers against the Mobile Suit’s control. “…But I can feel your every movement guiding me differently. War isn’t civilized, so soldiers have to be. It has no rules but the ones we create.” He glanced up sharply, as the sharp whine of his IFF went off, signaling an incoming foe.

The suit that was approaching blasted its way through space at a high rate of speed, a twisted monstrosity of a suit with four engines, massive heat claws, bristling with spines, and outfitted with twin missile launchers. But the base of the suit was unmistakeable. It had been designed using the Altron Gundam as a base. Even the colors were the same.

The Tallgeese turned and brandished its beam saber as the suit was upon it, sending them both sprialling through space. It’s claws locked around the arms of the Tallgeese and began to pull, as they spiralled end over end. The pilot’s mad laughter crackled over Wu Fei’s intercom.

Wu Fei gritted his teeth, and then wrenched his arm free. He slammed the Tallgeese’s forearm into the visor of the attacking Gundam, and pulled away, shooting out and away from his attacker.

“What do you think?” The suit’s pilot radioed to Wu Fei over the intercom. “Behold, Catastrophe D Gundam, Mother Kali’s avatar of destruction and the true image of your own Altron Gundam, Chang Wu Fei—” Then the suit turned, and leveled one of its missile launchers at the Preventers’ lines. “Behold… the atomic breath of the Dragon!” A missile lanced forth, spiralling toward the Preventers’ line.

Wu Fei rocketed back toward the suit. “Atomic—” His eyes widened, as the Tallgeese’s sensors provided information on the missile. “SHOOT DOWN THAT PROJECTILE! DO IT NOW!” The Preventers’ began to open fire, as the missile wove its way through the beams. Then one struck it, but too close to the line. Catastrophe D’s pilot’s laughter echoed in Wu Fei’s ears as the nuclear missile went off, blasting the front of the Preventers’ line, disintegrating suits and men.

“…Damn it.” Wu Fei said. “DAMN YOU!” He rocketed at Catastrophe D, beam saber upraised, and the twisted reflection of Nataku turned to meet him like a lover, claws spread.

* * *

**_L2 Colony Cluster Space. Destroyed Colony Site._ **

“This is Heero, reporting in. Continuing my sector search. The Chameleon flies like a dream. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a Mobile Suit with a smoother glide. It even adjusted the seat for me without my asking it to.” The green mobile suit rocketed toward a debris field. “There’s debris up ahead.” Heero said, as the suit approached the field. “Hazardous to fly through. I’m going to try out the Chameleon’s long-range sensors.”

“Hmmmmm.” Heero studied the readouts. “No escape pods, but there’s a signal out here, it’s being blocked by the debris. I’m going to check it out.” The Chameleon shot into the debris field, its engines adjusting their output automatically to allow easy maneuvering. “Getting closer.” Heero said, before studying his console. “It’s an emergency transponder from a space suit.” The Chameleon extended claws, as Heero began to carefully tear through a section of bulkhead.

Quatre had been shot clear of the explosion, and then used the magnetic clamp on his space-suit to attach himself to a piece of debris so as not to go adrift in space. His vital signs appeared on the Chameleon’s console automatically. “…He’s alive. Heero said, “But he’s in bad shape. I’m bringing him in.” He opened the Chameleon’s cockpit, and then reached out, disengaging the clamp and pulling Quatre inside. As the cockpit hissed closed and oxygen returned, Heero reached up and removed Quatre’s helmet.

Quatre opened his eyes, briefly. “Heero! Duo Jr! I put him in an escape pod, but didn’t have time to join him. …Is he all right?”

“Don’t worry about that right now.” Heero said. “We’ll find him. Save your strength, Quatre.” He noted, quietly, that the Chameleon had increased the oxygen saturation in the cabin above the standard. “…What is _with_ this suit?” He said, looking around the cockpit. “I’m turning back.”

* * *

**_L2 Colony Cluster Space. Destroyed Colony Site, Elsewhere._ **

The Gundam called Mad Tarantula spidered its way along a large piece of debris from the destroyed colony. It had been built using the Deathscythe chassis as a base, except it had four long, spiky legs- those legs manipulated the uneven surface of the chunk of debris, tearing through it.

“Mad Tarantula, you need to report back to the line. These Preventers are stubborn – we need your help breaking their line!” The pilot cut the comm.

“You talk too much, Naga Gundam.” The pilot sat back in his seat, and sighed. “I probably should go back—” He paused as an alert sounded. “Huh? An escape pod?” 

Not far away, an escape pod had wedged itself in the colony debris. It was damaged, but intact. The pilot of the Mad Tarantula studied it, as the gundam spidered over the pod. “I wonder if anyone’s alive inside…” As it tore open the pod, he noticed a small figure in a space suit huddling at the back of the pod, opposite the gundam, curled in the fetal position.

“Huh? It’s a kid…”

* * *

**_L-2 Colony Cluster, Evacuation Corridor, ESUN Flagship “Velvet Glove”- Sick Bay_ **

Relena looked up from Quatre’s bedside, and brushed his hair away from his head, as Heero arrived. “Lady Une’s arrived and taken command of the operation. We’re going to be falling back to the Moon and operating out of the Lunar Base. The Preventers need to fall back to a more defensible line while they plan a counter-attack.”

“I detest the thought of leaving survivors behind. But I trust Lady Une’s evaluation of the situation.” Relena kept her hand on Quatre’s head. “The doctors say he’ll be all right. He’s just badly beat-up, exhausted. He throttled his own oxygen supply to make it last as long as possible.”

The door to the Sick Bay stepped open, and Heero glanced up. “I was wondering how long it’d take you to get here, Trowa.”

Trowa looked down at Quatre, and stepped up to the bed. “He’s all right?” When Relena nodded, he reached down and took Quatre’s hand in his. “Quatre. Can you hear me?”

Quatre’s eyes shivered, and then opened. “You came, Triton!”

Heero tilted his head. “…Triton? You picked a new name for yourself.”

The man who was once called Trowa Barton squeezed Quatre’s hand. “Triton Bloom. I reclaimed my rightful name along with my humanity.”

Heero considered that. “…I like it. I’d considered picking a new name, but this one just feels like it fits me best.” He paused, for a moment, and then gripped Triton’s upper arm. “It’s good to see you again. Triton, listen. When Wu Fei gets back from the front line, that means the five of us will all be in the same place for the first time in years. And I already know Lady Une’s going to ask us to fight. Whoever these War Children are, they’re fielding Gundams based on _our_ suits. Wu Fei tangled with one based off of Altron.”

“That’s going to put him in a foul mood.” Triton said, his green eyes fixed on Heero’s. “I haven’t sat in the cockpit of a mobile suit for years, Heero. I’m rusty.”

“We’re all rusty and we’ve all slowed down. We need to make some decisions about what we’re going to do.” Heero replied. “But we should make them as a group. Duo’s not doing very well either. But at least now,” Heero glanced down at Quatre, “…We have something to tell him.”

* * *

**_L2 Colony Cluster Space. The Preventers’ Picket Line._ **

“This is _Frozen Teardrop_. We just received orders from Preventer Gold. We’re going to fall back to a more secure defense line.” The broadcast crackled due in Wu Fei’s cockpit due to interference from the battle going on around him. The Tallgeese III was badly damaged, but had warded off the Catastrophe D Gundam with the help of a group of Preventers operating the new Chameleon suit – somehow the suits had analyzed the enemy Gundam and switched to electromagnetic shells that had scrambled the massive mobile suit’s systems, allowing Wu Fei to break free and blast the enemy away. 

Wu Fei growled. “Every instinct I have is telling me to go after them,” He said. “…But I’m responsible for lives other than my own. Lady Une is right.” He activated his comm. “Disengage and fall back! Watch each other’s backs and make an orderly retreat.”

The Tallgeese rocketed back toward the Preventers’ line. “This isn’t the end. I’ll find whoever twisted Nataku into that _thing_ and drag them kicking and screaming to justice.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gonna take a break after this one for a couple days, unless inspiration hits me, which it tends to do in waves. Feel bad for Duo, doing him dirty that way, but he's always full of surprises.


	4. Six Stars Align

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The five Gundam pilots are reunited on the ESUN flagship Velvet Glove, and plan their next moves. Information about a secret war from the past gives a glimmer of hope in the now.

**_Earlier, the Velvet Glove:_ **

“I’m taking a ship.” Duo said, turning away from Relena, Heero, and the Captain. “I’m going _out there_ , and I’m going to find my _wife_ and my _son_.” He stopped, as two Preventers stepped in front of the doorway. “I’m warning you…”

“Mr. Maxwell,” The captain said, “I’m afraid I have to proceed by protocols, and I can’t allow civilians, even a former Gundam operator, into an active crisis zone. Please understand—”

“Screw you!” Duo said, before he paused, and raised his hands. “Okay. Okay. You win.”

Heero took a small step off to the side. He met Relena’s eyes, and then subtly motioned for her to step back.

Duo suddenly lunged, throwing his body weight into one of the Preventer guards and bowling him over, while doubling the other over with a kick to the diaphragm. He came up holding the pistol of the guard he tackled. “Now just back off man. Just let me go to the hangar and take a ship and there won’t be any trouble.”

The Captain raised his hands. “…Mr. Maxwell, I _can’t do that_.”

Duo backed toward the door. “If you won’t give me a ship, I’ll take one, either way I—”

Heero lunged, grabbing Duo’s wrist in his hand and twisting it. There was a _pop_ from the joint and Duo let out an agonized yell, before Heero suddenly shifted his weight and pinned Duo in a chokehold, arm barred around his throat.

Duo gasped, and clutched at Heero’s arms. “You… you rat—” He choked, before his eyes bulged and he slumped, unconscious.

Heero lowered Duo to the floor, and checked his pulse.

“Was that really necessary, Heero?” Relena said, taking a step forward.

“It absolutely was.” Heero said. “Because I know exactly what was going through his mind.” He looked up and met Relena’s gaze. “If it had been you on that colony, anyone who got between me and a shuttle would be taking their life into their own hands.” He remained kneeling next to Duo. “Lock him in the brig and give him a mild sedative, for the time being. And _watch him_.” He rose to his feet. “I’m telling you this as maybe the most dangerous man alive, captain – he’s a _dangerous man_ when he wants to be.”

The preventer guards reoriented themselves. At a nod from the Captain, they lifted Duo in their arms and dragged him away. He let out a groan, as they led him out into the corridor.

Heero stood up, and brushed himself off. “I have to go make a call.” He followed the guards out.

“I’ve never seen men move that fast.” The captain said, stunned. “Is that what all the Gundam pilots are like?”

Relena raised her eyebrows. “Believe it or not, captain, there’s one even faster.”

* * *

**_The Velvet Glove. Now._ **

Duo kicked his legs, and put his hands behind his head. “Sure wish the room would stop swirling around.” He said, staring upward, his eyes unfocused. “Whatever that doctor gave me, it’s pretty good stuff. I try to focus and it just makes me want to hurl. This _sucks_ , frickin’ Heero…”

He looked up. “Hey, I see they’re using energy fields for prisoner restraint now, instead of old-fashioned steel doors. Way to take away a guy’s privacy!” He cleared his throat, and made himself sound hoarse, to the guard on duty. “Hey! Heeeeeeeeeeey. Hey! HEY! Being betrayed and choked out by my best friend makes a guy real hoarse. I’m _dehydrated_ from all the tears. Could you go get me glass of water? Please?”

The guard shook his head. “I’m sorry sir, but we’re under strict orders to not take our eyes off you.”

Duo slumped. “Wheeee. Guess the jig is up – Heero knows me too well, the slimeball.” He rolled from side to side, “This sucks, suuuuuuuuuuuuucks, sucks, SUCKS!”

The guard suddenly stood at attention and saluted. “Sir!”

Wu Fei stepped into view. “I’ll be taking custody of Duo from here on out, Private. You’re dismissed.” As the guard saluted again and walked away, Wu Fei turned toward the cell. “I see you’re as terrible a prisoner I remember. I’m glad I’m not sharing a cell with you this time.” He tapped the console outside the cell, and the energy field died with a crackle.

Duo rose to his feet. “Heeeeeeeey. Long time no see.” He blinked at Wu Fei’s sweaty, unkempt state, the haggard look in his eyes. “…Front’s that bad, huh?”

“We held the line long enough for them to evacuate the rest of the colonies in the cluster and rescue as many survivors as we could.” Wu Fei said. “We’re headed for Lunar Base.” He tilted his head at Duo. “Heero found Quatre. All five of us are on the ship, now.”

“…So Trowa’s here, too.” Duo rolled his tongue against his cheek. “Huh. Quatre’s all right?”

“Beat up,” Wu Fei said, “But he survived.” He stopped, and tilted his head. “He says that he put your son into an escape pod and launched it, but didn’t have enough time to get into one himself. However, we haven’t gotten confirmation on whether Duo Jr. is among the rescued. That doesn’t mean anything, though – there are millions of refugees and evacuees in this convoy.”

Duo looked down, and went silent. Wu Fei paused, and then braced his shoulder against Duo to subtly hold him up as they left the brig.

* * *

**_The Velvet Glove, Observation Lounge_ **

“I have to say,” Triton said as he reclined back in his seat, long legs crossed and a smoothie in hand, gazing out the window at a starfield, “This ship’s much more luxurious than Peacemillion was.”

“The _Grand Chariot_ class was originally conceived of to serve as flagships for OZ forces,” Quatre said, “And they planned to travel in style. The _Velvet Glove_ wasn’t spaceworthy during the war, but when it fell into ESUN’s hands they saw its potential use – so they completed everything except for the Nova Cannon from the original design and put it into service. It’s a little flashy, but it’s definitely proving its worth now. Its sister ship, the original _Grand Chariot_ was completed, but it disappeared during its maiden voyage - presumed lost. If it had been in the vicinity of Earth the war might’ve gone very differently.”

Triton tilted his head up. “I kind of like it. It’s dignified. Sure beats traveling around in a smelly freighter.” He swirled his smoothie, and studied it. “Quatre, could we—”

The door hissed open, and Relena and Heero stepped inside. Relena made her way to Quatre and gripped his hands. “It’s so good to see you up and around.” She bent and kissed him on the cheek.

Quatre flushed pink, and then smiled. “Thank you, Relena.”

Heero put his hand on his hip. “Wu Fei’s on board. I’ve asked him to go retrieve Duo from the brig. It’s time we came up with a plan of action. Though I’m not going to ask any of you to get involved in this if you don’t want to.”

Triton tilted his head back and studied Heero with both eyes. “I’m in.”

Quatre nodded. “When the six of us are working together, we can achieve anything.”

The door hissed open again, and Wu Fei stepped inside, supporting Duo, who lightly pushed off of him. Wu Fei leaned against the side of the door, leaving Duo standing. “T, good to see you! Quatre, glad you’re not dead.” Duo gave Quatre a thumbs up. Then his expression darkened.

Then, with a wobbly turn, Duo rounded on Heero, and swayed, his voice faintly slurred. “And _you_. To think I thought we were _friends_! You choked me out and left me doped up in the _brig_! You know what you are! You’re a… a…”

Heero crossed his arms.

Duo clenched his jaw and thought for a moment. “You’re a _no-ass_! That’s what you are! Running around in those bicycle shorts with your _absolute lack of an ass!_ ” He pointed. “No-ass Heero, pilot of the NO-ASS GUNDAM!” Then he fell over, onto his butt. “Ow!” He scrambled to his feet and stalked away.

Quatre looked up from where he was sitting. “…Let me go talk to him.”

Relena put her hand on Quatre’s shoulder. “No. Let me.” She glanced at Heero, who closed his eyes in a slow blink, before she trailed Duo out of the room.

Heero looked over at Triton, who had his hand over his mouth, and his eyes closed. “…Go ahead,” he said, “I know you want to.”

Triton snorted, “You really did have no ass.” His shoulders began to shake, before he began to laugh.

Quatre scowled. “It’s really not funny, Triton.”

Wu Fei looked up from where he was leaned against the wall. “It’s a little funny,” He said, before he went quiet again.

Relena made her way down the corridor, and then stopped, when she heard a muffled sob from a nearby door. She opened it, and then stopped in the doorway as Duo looked up at her from where he was curled in the corner, the light reflected from his eyes.

“He looks like a cornered animal, poor thing.” Relena said, under her breath. “…Duo, may I come in? I’d… like to talk.”

Duo looked up, and away. “…Talk about what.” He folded his arms around his knees, and muttered. “I’m just a stupid fool. A stupid fool who screwed up a good thing and then lost it forever.” He bit down on his bottom lip and tears squeezed out of the corners of his eyes. “…Damn it. Those bastards. I hate ‘em—"

Relena stepped inside, and sat in a high-backed chair – she turned it to face Duo. “You’re not a fool.” She said, “You have every right to be upset. And I understand exactly how you feel.”

Duo looked away. “…How could you _possibly_ know how I feel, Princess.”

Relena sat quiet for a time, and then drew a deep breath. “…I watched my father die.” She said, her hands clasped in her lap. “I mean Nils Darlian, the man who raised me. Lady Une killed him, but he didn’t die until later, in the hospital.” Relena looked down at her lap. “I didn’t really understand what was going on until later. But I felt… so lost. Alone, and scared.”

Duo looked up, his blue-violet eyes bloodshot. “…I didn’t know that.”

“I don’t talk about it much.” Relena said. “Up until that point it was like I was viewing the world through a pane of rose-colored glass. The war was something far away. And then that glass cracked – it didn’t shatter right away, not even then. I tried to reclaim a sense of normalcy at first – but I could see the cracks creeping up along the glass.” She paused, collecting herself at the memory, and then went on. “It didn’t shatter fully, until after I met Heero – and then I had this cold void in my soul, and the only thing that could fill it, even for a moment, was planning my vengeance against Lady Une.”

Duo looked up. “ _You_? The Princess of Peace? …No way.”

“I was going to kill her,” Relena said. “Right up until the moment when I had her in my sights, and I realized in that moment that killing her wouldn’t bring back my father, but it could lead to a lot more suffering. I pulled my shot at the last instant and shot the rose off her lapel instead. I wanted her to know that I _could have_ killed her.”

“Heero never told me about that.” Duo said. “Not that he would’ve-“

“I’ve never talked about it with Heero. I’m sure he knows something about it, but it isn’t something I’ve ever felt the need to discuss with him. It’s something I’m sharing with you.” She put her hand on Duo’s. “To show you that I understand how you feel.”

Duo drew in a great shivering breath. “It’s… it’s hard, you know? When I was a kid everyone I got close to died, Relena. They _died_. I didn’t know how to – have a family. Hilde was – she was the tough one. She survived around me when everyone else—” He closed his eyes and sobbed. “I can’t bear the thought that she might be dead. I don’t know what’s worse, the thought that one day I’ll have to identify and bury pieces of a flash-frozen corpse… or the thought that I might never have anything _to_ bury!” He leaned into Relena. “I can’t handle being alone anymore…”

“I have faith, Duo.” Relena said. “I believe she was tough enough to make it. And I believe Duo Jr. is still out there, somewhere. And I believe in you. Heero believes in you.”

Duo furrowed his brow against Relena’s side. “He’s got a funny way of showing it.”

Relena sighed. “He did that because he understands how you feel. He knew that you were going to act on your emotions, but he didn’t want you to put yourself in danger. It’s the reason he’s always admired you – he believes in acting on his emotions, but you’ve always had a much easier time doing that than he has. It’s the reason why you’re his best friend.” Relena gave a small smile. “Even if he does sometimes try to protect you from yourself.”

“…Heero’s a jerk.” Duo said, hoarsely.

Relena considered that. “Sometimes, yes. But we love him anyway, don’t we?” She rubbed Duo’s back, slowly.

Duo closed his eyes. “My colony had real rough times. The fights with the Alliance had broken up a lot of families. I was a latchkey kid – an orphan. Eventually I wound up in a street gang with a bunch of other kids, stealing what we could to survive. But me and this other kid, Solo – we were tight. Like brothers.” He looked up, into Relena’s eyes. “But, he got sick. Maybe we could’ve taken him to a clinic, I don’t know – we had some _stupid_ notion that if we did they would’ve broken us up and we would’ve been all alone. He – died.” He smirked. “That’s where I got my name, see. I’d keep Solo with me, and then we’d always be Duo.”

Relena squeezed Duo’s hand. “Go on?”

“Anyway, we lived like street rats for a little while after that, until people finally got fed up and we got taken in by the Maxwell Church. That wasn’t really its name, but everybody called it that. Because it was run by Father Maxwell, see, and he and this Ursuline nun, Sister Helen…” Duo looked away. “…This is really hard for me to talk about, gimme a sec, Relena—”

Relena nodded. “Take all the time that you need.”

Duo brushed his eyes, and then started again. “They took me in. I remember, Sister Helen wanted to cut my hair, but I pitched such a _fit_ , so Father Maxwell told her to leave it. So she brushed the tangles out of it and braided it up tight and taught me how to take care of it.” Duo laughed, and it turned into another shuddering sigh. “I was a real wild kid. They kept trying to place me with foster parents, but I didn’t _want_ to be in a foster home. I wanted to live at the church. With them. So I made sure I was too much for anybody else to handle. And they caved. Again. And I was happy. And then those _damn_ rebels… they used the church for shelter. I mean, who’d attack a freakin’ _church_ , right?”

Duo set his jaw. “They started throwing around accusations that Father Maxwell and Sister Helen were Alliance spies. The freakin’ _nerve_ … I still get angry, thinkin’ about it. I picked up on what they were talkin’ about and figured if they got their hands on a Mobile Suit, they’d bail. So I ran out – and I jacked one.” He closed his eyes. “And while I was out, the Alliance blew up the church, Relena. They blew up a _damn church_. I hated them so much. I felt just the way you described after Lady Une killed your dad. Cold, and empty, and hate was the only thing that could make me feel warm again.”

“I remember my father having to deal with that.” Relena said, putting her hand on the back of Duo’s head. “The Maxwell Church Massacre. Even senior political officials in the Alliance like Field Marshall Noventa decried it as barbaric and were calling for court martials.”

“Two hundred and forty-five people dead.” Duo said. “Including the two people who were my whole world.”

“Your outfits, your hair – you carry the memory of people you loved with you wherever you go.” Relena said, quietly. “Constant reminders of people, and places.”

“It’s pretty sad, huh?” Duo said.

“I think it’s noble, and beautiful.” Relena replied. “Your life’s been full of so much tragedy and pain, but you’ve never given up on loving other people, or tried to forget the people who loved you. Not everyone can claim that.”

Duo looked up, and smirked. “Sometimes it _sucks_.”

“Yeah.” Relena agreed, still stroking his hair. “Sometimes it sucks.”

“…Sister Helen used to console me exactly like this, when I was upset.” Duo said. “I gotta be honest, I haven’t thought about that for a long time.” He shuddered again. “What do I do if I’ve lost them, Relena? I don’t know if I can do this again. I feel like I’m falling down a hole with no bottom.”

“…Well,” Relena said, “If you’re falling, let the people who love you catch you and lift you back up. The others. Heero. And me. We need you.”

Duo let out a sigh, and then pushed himself away from Relena. “I’m not good, Princess. Not even close to good. But – I’m gonna go out there with vengeance in my heart and duke it out with those _bastards_. And try to be as strong as you were, when you switched your aim from Lady Une’s heart to the rose on her lapel.” He squeezed Relena’s hand. “…Walk with me for a little ways, Relena. I’m still woozy.” 

A moment later, Duo stalked back out into the observation lounge. He reached out and grabbed the front of Heero’s shirt. “You and I are nowhere even _close_ to being square after that little stunt.” He said, through clenched teeth. “But you can start making it up to me by getting me a mobile suit and coming up with a battle plan so the God of Death can ride _one more time_ and teach those _punks_ the meaning of terror.”

Heero looked down at Duo’s hand on his shirt, and back up at him. “Deal.”

Duo let go of Heero, and casually brushed the wrinkle out of his shirt. “Well then. Look at us, back together again! This isn’t the reunion I would’ve asked for, but hey, it’s the reunion we’ve got.” Then he dropped into a chair. “My head’s still spinning from that crap the doctor shot into my buttcheek. Whoo-ha!”

“I’ve been thinking,” Quatre said, “There’s something not right about this. These War Children, they’re not claiming any ideals except a detestation of the peace policies of ESUN and the colonies. Their hate is almost—”

“Religious.” Triton said. “Something sprirtual.”

“Pretty warped religion, then,” Duo said, one hand on his temple. He looked up, as Heero offered him a cup of water. “…Thanks.” He said, taking it.

“But these sorts of things don’t come out of nowhere.” Quatre said, “And I don’t know of any church or cult that’s been active in the colonies that had beliefs anywhere close to this. It’s like… this was _engineered_ to be a threat that would frighten and divide people, that would make them afraid and violent. Religions, even bad ones, grow organically and reflect the histories and cultures in which they take root. This cult of the War Children is _too perfect_.”

Wu Fei looked up. “So you think someone’s running some sort of what… scam?”

“Classic thief’s trick.” Duo said, around his straw. “Run your mouth so they’re not watching your hands. I use it all the time.”

“Exactly, Duo.” Quatre said. “Someone wants to destabilize ESUN and the Colonies for their own purposes. I think they’re counting on us beating the War Children – eventually. They’re certainly designed to goad us into a fight. But by the time we do, the damage will have been done and their backer will have gotten what they wanted.”

“I trust Quatre’s instincts.” Heero said. “So there’s a political front to this as well as a military one. We need to figure out who’s behind this and stamp them out.”

Relena looked up, from where she stood in the doorway. “…And that’s precisely the battle I’m trained to fight. But I’m going to need help. Yours—” Relena said, “…And somebody else’s.”

Duo scowled. “First thing we do, is we capture at least one of the bastards and we pump ‘em for information.” He put his fist into his hand.

“Right.” Quatre said. “I was reading intelligence reports. Now that we’ve retreated, they’re securing the L2 colonies and setting up a forward base around their capital ship. I think they plan to use L2’s resources as a base to launch attacks against the other colonies and the Earth. That buys us some time to fortify our own defenses. The mobile suits we do have are every bit as good as theirs, though only the Tallgeese really matches the power of a Gundam.”

Triton looked up from his seat. “You were telling me you’d worshopped some new Gundam designs of your own, Quatre.”

Quatre looked down. “They were theoretical designs. I mean, they could all be fully realized, but that’d require a facility capable of building a Gundam – and those no longer exist. They’ve all been fully decommissioned. It would take months to build a new one.”

“That… may not be the case.” Another voice said, from the doorway. Roche Nattono stepped inside, and offered a deep and courtly bow to Relena. “Lady Darlian. Master Winner. I beg your forgiveness for the interruption.” He looked up, and then said, “My sincerest apologies, but – I overheard what you were discussing, and there may be a solution to that dilemma. It has to do with what happened to OZ Prize… at MO-V.”

“MO-V?” Wu Fei wrinkled his nose. “That place is a backwater! Why would the elite of the elite have been dispatched all the way _out there_?”

“Because Duke Dermail received intelligence that MO-V had mobile suit manufacturing facilities capable of producing Gundams. Along with a supply of Neo-Titanium.” Roche said. “That was why I was dispatched there in command of the _Grand Chariot_. And – the rumors were true. A scientist who had once worked with the same men who had designed your Gundams had traveled out to MO-V and continued his design work there. He also designed a system with the same goal as the ZERO system, though it approached the Man-Machine Interface via physical link-up between man and mobile suit, not via direct neural interface.”

Quatre blinked. “…The PX theory? This scientist actually created a working PX system!?”

“He did.” Roche said. “But only two men were ever able to master it.” He sighed. “Sadly I can’t give you more information than that about the system. The scientist is dead – his amorality cost many lives, including his own, in the end.” He glanced up at Heero. “That’s what happened to OZ Prize and the _Grand Chariot_. I was deposed by Valder Farkill, and when the scientist was thwarted, he set the ship on an automated course to destroy MO-V, the Colonies, and then crash into Earth. In the end, it was a choice between the lives of my men, and the lives of everyone on MO-V and countless others. OZ Prize’s only survivors were myself, my wife, and two other soldiers Valder Farkill betrayed. My wife and I returned to Earth to give our oaths to the Duchess Catalonia. The others stayed behind.” Then Roche sighed, brushing away the memory. “When MO-V found out the war on Earth was over, they decommissioned their Gundams and other Mobile Suits and retooled their spaceports and manufactories to focus on building spacecraft.” He gestured to Relena. “Your message reaches even to the other side of the asteroid belt, milady.”

Heero canted his head, slightly. “But MO-V’s facilities could be switched back to producing Mobile Suits. Including Gundams.”

Roche put his hand on his chin. “…Yes. I do believe so.”

Heero added, “And they still have the data on the Gundams they created, including the PX System?”

“They do.” Roche said. “The only people this side of the Asteroid Belt who know about what happened at MO-V are myself, my wife, Duchess Catalonia, and Agent Lon Sernan of the Preventers, who falsified his report of what happened out there to protect the colony.”

Wu Fei looked up. “You understand I have to report this to Lady Une.” He narrowed his eyes. “…That said, I don’t blame you or the people of MO-V for wanting to forget something so ugly. She’s going to want the truth from Cernan. He might be court martialed for falsifying information in a report.”

“…More to the point,” Triton said, “You wouldn’t be telling us this if you didn’t have orders to do so. Which means that Dorothy Catalonia has already made the same deductions as Quatre, and she dispatched you to share this information with us.”

“Astute.” Roche said.

“Then we have to dispatch someone out there, too.” Duo said.

“…I’ll be departing from here to travel to MO-V. But it’s still going to be weeks of travel, even with the new high-speed interplanetary shuttles.” Roche said. 

“We should send someone with you.” Heero said. “I think the best candidate for that would be Triton. Wu Fei is field commander for the Preventers, so he can’t go. Quatre’s needed here, and Duo –” He glanced to Duo, “Needs to focus on finding his wife and son.”

Triton rubbed his chin, and then nodded. “You’re right. I am the best choice. If we time it right, we can stop by Mars on the way back. We could really use the help of Lieutenant Noin and Zechs.”

“Noin, yes.” Wu Fei said. “I don’t have any interest in sharing oxygen with Zechs Merquise.”

Heero rubbed the back of his neck. “I can’t really say I’d be excited to see him again either, Wu Fei.”

“Even if he _is_ about to become your brother-in-law,” Quatre mused.

Heero let out another grunt. “Either way. We have the makings of a plan. Triton’s going to travel out to MO-V with Roche to see about getting their Mobile Suit manufacturing facilities functioning again. Wu Fei is going to stay in space and command the Preventers. Relena and Quatre will investigate who’s behind this, and Duo and I will back them up. In the meantime, we’ll investigate if there’s anyplace left on Earth or in the Colonies capable of producing suits that can match their Gundams.”

“…The Duchess intends to give you her full support in this.” Roche said. “…Based on her tone, whether you want it or not.” He looked to Triton. “I’ll be leaving in the morning.” He bowed again, and stepped back out of the room. “Good evening.”

“I wish we had more time to enjoy being together again.” Heero said. “But it’s late. We all need to get some sleep before we split up tomorrow.”

“I have to report this to Lady Une.” Wu Fei said, before he pushed off the wall. He paused, his hand on the doorway. “…It was good to see all of you again. Let’s have a _real_ reunion when this is over and done with. I expect all of you to make it through this.” The door hissed shut behind him.

Heero looked toward Duo. “We had them set aside a room for you. I know it’s hard, but try to get some rest. If you’re strung out you won’t be doing Hilde or Duo Jr. any favors.” He looked to Relena. “I’m guessing you need to call the President, I’ll be waiting for you when you’re done.”

Relena took Heero’s hand in hers, and then looked to the others. “…Good night. All of you. It really is wonderful to see you again.” They departed the room, together.

Duo stretched, and then scratched the back of his neck. “…I’m still mad at him. But he’s got a point. I’m gonna go try to catch forty winks. You two…” He made a box with his fingers around Quatre and Triton. “Don’t stay up too late.” He followed Relena and Heero out. 

Quatre sighed, and let out a breath. “…And just like that, you’re leaving again. You seem—” He paused, studying Triton’s gaze, which was locked on him. “…Like you wanted to tell me something.”

Triton nodded. “Yeah.” He leaned in, as if to say something. “Listen carefully, Quatre, because this is important.”

* * *

**_The Velvet Glove, Quarters Deck, Guest Area_ **

Duo rubbed the back of his neck. “Course I can’t sleep, must be those damn sedatives, they janked up my system and now I'm all wired,” He groused, as he stalked down the hall. He mumbled, “I hate to wake him up, I just really don’t feel like being alone right now, you know? It’s Quatre, of course he’ll understand.” He stopped at a doorway and hit the buzzer. After a long period of silence, he hit it again. “Come on Quatre,” He said, “It’s me, Duo! I need to talk to somebody, are you awake?”

After a moment Quatre replied, through the intercom, his voice thick with sleep. “…I am now. I really – can’t talk right now, Duo. I need to sleep—”

“…What, you got a couple of hot Earthbound babes in there or something? …Listen man, I’m sorry, I just… I need to talk to somebody now.” He punched in the override code to the door lock with his thumb, without really paying attention. “I’m coming in.”

“Duo, you can’t—” the door opened, revealing Quatre sitting in the middle of the bed, in a pair of pajama pants. The bed was rumpled and messy, and Quatre’s ribs were taped. In the bathroom, the shower was running.

“Oh.” Duo said, “You were gonna take a shower? You coulda’ just said so and I would’ve waited outside.”

The shower shut off. “…Not exactly.” Quatre said, lamely. “It’s just Duo,” he called, toward the bathroom.

A moment later, Triton called back, “…Tell him to throw me my pajamas, then.”

Duo’s mouth twisted. “ _What._ ”

Quatre sighed and put his hand over his eyes, a pink blush of color creeping onto his cheeks. “…They’re over here, on the floor by the bed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess I broke my word about taking a break for a few days. This time, for certain.
> 
> Also, are you surprised?
> 
> Duo sure is.


	5. The Face of the Foe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Duo Jr. comes face to face with his rescuer. Triton departs with Roche Nattono and Aretha Walker for MO-V. Hilde's fate is revealed.

“Operation Meteor: A plan conceived of by the Barton Foundation to render the Earth uninhabitable by dropping a space colony onto the planet. To ensure the successful completion of this operation, the Barton Foundation commissioned the creation of five powerful mobile suits made of Neo-Titanium alloy, or “Gundanium”, which gave those mobile suits their colloquial name – “Gundams.” The purpose of the Gundams was to travel to earth and cause as much chaos as possible, distracting the forces of the United Earth Sphere Alliance so that when the time for the colony drop came, they would be unable to prevent it.”

“However, the scientists responsible for developing the Gundams and training their pilots chose to betray the Barton Foundation. They prevented the colony drop from occurring, and then dispatched the pilots to Earth with an adjusted mission – to destroy the military forces of the Order of the Zodiac, or OZ.” 

“The Barton Foundation would try twice more to revive Operation Meteor, first by creating the White Fang insurrectionist force which intended to use the power of the massive space battle station “Libra” to render the Earth uninhabitable, and one year after that by returning to their original plan to drop a space colony from orbit onto the planet. After that failed, the Foundation’s backup plan was a military coup to overthrow the ESUN government.”

“Both of these attempts were foiled by the pilots of the five Gundams that had originally been built to ensure Operation Meteor’s success.”

“The two main orchestrators of Operation Meteor were Quinze Quarante and Dekim Barton. Both men were followers of the late Heero Yuy*, who vowed revenge for the death of their mentor. Of the two, Barton’s plans became increasingly tainted by an intent to extend his dominion over the entirety of the Earth Sphere. It is believed that Quarante’s goals remained idealistic if vicious until the end. Information collected by the Preventers shows that over the twenty years between the death of Heero Yuy and the first attempt to launch Operation Meteor, the two men had come to detest one another.”

“Perhaps it’s true that every terrorist is at heart a frustrated idealist.”

-Lady Une’s notes, “Operation M”

* Heero Yuy, of course, refers to the influential politician assassinated in AC 175. The Gundam operator “Heero Yuy” once explained to me that he was given the name as a codename by his handler when he was sent to Earth, but that he has come to like it. I think it suits him.

* * *

_**The Velvet Glove: Quatre Raberba Winner's Quarters.** _

Duo flopped onto his side on the couch. On the bed opposite him, Quatre sat with Triton’s arm draped over his shoulders. Triton was sitting, relaxed, one long leg up with his free arm braced on his knee, the other curled under it.

“…So you two are together, huh?” Duo said, his face peeking out of where he was wrapped up mummy-like in his blanket. “…I’m a little surprised, I guess, but I’m not shocked. I mean… geez, Quatre, look at the guy. I mean there’s ‘fit’ and then there’s, uh… you, Triton.”

Triton looked down at himself, impassively, and then said, “Well, I’m an acrobat, Duo. Do you know what they call an acrobat who’s not in peak condition?”

Duo shook his head.

“They call him an ambulance.” Triton replied, his tone dry. He tilted his head slightly when Quatre looked at him. “…That was a joke, Quatre.”

“It’s just a side of you that always surprises me.” He threaded his fingers through Triton’s. “I like it though.”

“Anyway.” Triton said, “…When the war ended and I went back to the Circus, I wanted—” He squeezed Quatre’s hand, “To learn to live in a world where I didn’t have to fight. I’d been a mercenary ever since I could remember. I had to learn to…” He thought about it, “…be a whole human being. Heero once told me that the only way to live a good life is to act on your emotions, but I had to smother mine in order to get by. It was a language inside of myself I didn’t really understand. Sometimes I still struggle. Quatre was a supportive voice for me through all of it. And over that time, we fell in love.” He looked over at Quatre again, who smiled. “Or maybe we always were in love.”

“At sixteen you don’t really understand what love is,” Quatre said, “At least that’s what I believe. Was I _attracted_ to Triton? Absolutely. But that has nothing to do with the bond I felt with him, that – deep connection. Even if we weren’t involved, he would be my best friend.”

Triton said, “Cathy once told me that even if there’s an instant spark between two people, love is a communication. It builds on itself, and multiplies its own strength as it grows. I had made the decision that I was going to tell Quatre how I felt before this happened. The thought that I might’ve waited too long was upsetting.” He looked up at Duo. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a bit of a stoic.”

Duo mumbled. “What, you? _Naw_.” He wriggled to make himself more comfortable. “I fell in love with Hilde fast. I mean, she was tough, smart, brave – she could run me through my paces and she never backed down from my crap – what wasn’t to love?” He looked down. “Maybe I should’ve waited longer to get married, but I didn’t _wanna_ , you know? It felt right.” He closed his eyes. “We had some good years, but hit a real rough patch after my bike accident when I took up bounty hunting to pay the bills.”

Quatre sighed. “Duo, why didn’t you _call me_? That money’s _nothing_ to me. I could’ve made those bills disappear with a snap of my fingers!”

Duo looked up. “Heero asked me the same question, Quatre. It’s because I’m a proud, stubborn idiot. I don’t want to be indebted to you or Relena.” As Quatre opened his mouth, Duo bunched up like a caterpillar. “And yes, I know you wouldn’t see it that way, but _I would._ ”

“A man has his pride, Quatre,” Triton affirmed. “If he’d taken money from you or Relena he wouldn’t have felt like he could provide for Hilde and his son.”

Duo nodded. “That’s _right_.”

“Now,” Triton said, “He could’ve asked you to help him find a better paying job. I mean, he’s an ex-soldier who’s good with computers, a decent mechanic and he’s the best pilot out of all of us. The fact that he didn’t do _that_ was just bull-headed pride.”

Duo slumped. “ _Ow_ , Triton. That hurts.”

Quatre sighed. “…Then let me give you a job, Duo. _Please_. When this is all said and done, come work for me. I could use an assistant.”

Duo snorted. “ _Right_. Me, an assistant to the most powerful man in the colonies. Pull my braid, Quatre, it has bells on it.”

“You have a lot of skills, Duo.” Quatre said. “Skills that could be used to the benefit of everyone in the Colonies.”

“You do have your own kind of charm.” Triton agreed. “And you’re good at spotting shifty people.”

“Takes a thief to catch a thief.” Duo said. “And I’m a great thief.” He furrowed his forehead. “So what, I’d be your bodyguard slash man Friday slash driver?”

Quatre tightened his arm around Triton and nodded, once. “You’d do everything from pilot shuttles to inspecting work sites. The colonies can’t afford projects with cut corners, but people still try.”

“It’s something to think about.” Duo said, “Especially if—”

Quatre cut Duo off. “I believe in my heart that she’s out there, Duo. I’m sorry I couldn’t do more for your son, but I feel he’s out there somewhere, too. I remember how strong Hilde was during the war – how _brave_ she was. She created a path to victory in a battle without final hope.”

Duo looked up. “Stop apologizing for rescuing my kid, Quatre. I swear, if someone complained there wasn’t air in outer space you’d apologize to them for not working hard enough.” He closed his eyes. “When I find that kid I’m gonna buy him the hoverbike he’s been begging me for, then buy him two more.” He drifted off, slowly.

Triton watched Duo as he fell asleep. “Poor guy.” He said. “…I think out of all of us he’s had the toughest time adjusting to not being at war.”

Quatre murmured, “He has a heart big enough for the whole human race to fit inside it. But deep down he still believes that he’s cursed, and he’ll destroy anyone he gets too close to.”

“What happens if Hilde and Duo Jr. are dead?” Triton asked, his cool green gaze on Duo where he slept. 

Quatre closed his eyes. “…I really don’t believe they are. If I close my eyes and look within, if I imagine myself reaching across space, I feel them out there, two lights among billions.”

Triton leaned in, and kissed Quatre on the temple, softly. “I trust your intuition.” Then he drew the blanket around himself and Quatre. “Let’s get some sleep. Lights off.” The cabin was plunged into darkness.

A few minutes later, a thump and an “OW!” jerked them both out of bed. The lights went on.

Duo looked up, grimacing, clutching his knee. “…Sorry guys, I had to pee and I nailed my knee on the coffee table while I was trying to sneak into the bathroom. Ouch!”

Quatre put his hand over his mouth. “…You know, I’ve missed this?” His shoulders shook, as he giggled.

“Yeah.” Triton said, “Me too.”

* * *

**_Lunar Base: Refugee Processing Center:_ **

The Preventer officer looked at the woman’s identification, and then back up at her. Dark-haired, spritely, but unshowered and visibly tired. _Just like the rest of us._ The Preventer thought to herself. “I’ve checked the system, Mrs. Schbeiker, and there’s no evidence of your son going through processing. Your husband—”

“Was off-colony.” Hilde said. “And I don’t want anything to do with him right now.” She paused. “…As long as he’s all right.”

“Well we don’t have any record of him passing through refugee processing—ah, wait.” He says, “There’s been someone making repeated queries about you from…” The Preventer paused. “…The Velvet Glove. That’s the ESUN flagship that’s been escorting the refugee train.”

Hilde sighed, deeply. “That means he’s with Heero and Relena. He’s safe. Not that I want to have anything to do with him, the jerk.”

“…Right.” The Preventer said, “Give me a moment and the system will find a place where we can put you. I apologize, we’re processing a lot of people right now, and we’ve been having computer failures all morning. We had to put all of this together in a hurry.”

“Actually…” Hilde said, “I wanted to ask you about enlisting in the Preventers. I have prior military service.”

The Preventer officer blinked, and then checked Hilde’s records. “…Private in the OZ space force, mobile suit training—” She paused. “I see you were wanted for desertion, but the official records say all charges were dropped and you were given an honorable discharge and a Bleeding Heart Flower medal at the end of the war—” She looked up. “Bleeding Heart. Wounded in an act of great valor on the battlefield against the White Fang?”

“That’s a very long story.” Hilde said.

“It must be one heck of a story.” The Preventer officer said. “I have to be honest, right now we’re snapping up volunteers like you, Mrs. Schbeiker. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t been in a mobile suit in fifteen years, we need all the help we can get. So let me get you a place where you can shower and sleep, and I’ll set up an appointment with a recruiter tomorrow.” She paused. “Would you like me to send a message to your husband? When he checks the refugee processing database he will see you passed through the system.”

Hilde looked down. “…No. Thank you.” 

The Preventer officer sighed. “…All right then. I’ve assigned you a berth at the old barracks. It’s crowded, but it’ll be a place to sleep and get yourself cleaned up tonight. Your meeting with a recruiter’s been scheduled for zero eight thirty tomorrow morning.” She reached down and handed Hilde a bag of toiletries. “It’s been a pleasure, ma’am.”

* * *

_**L2 Colony: Beta** _

Duo Jr. lurched awake. “Whaaaa-“ He looked around. “Where the heck—” He sat up. He was on a bed, somewhere strange – and on a table nearby there was a pile of snacks and sodas. He rolled over and popped one open. “Where the heck is—” He padded out of the bed and stepped out into… “Somebody’s living room.” Then he walked to a set of sliding doors and opened them, before he stepped out onto a balcony overlooking a colony thoroughfare – except it was deserted. Abandoned cars, abandoned buildings. Everything was eerily still.

“…Looks like they evacuated. But how did I get here?” He rubbed the back of his neck.

“I brought you here.” A voice said, behind him. D-2 turned and found himself nose to nose and eye to eye with a boy his own age. He was dressed in a black space suit, swarthy skinned, and his dark brown hair was shaved close to his scalp.

“…Thanks?” D-2 said. “Uh. I’m Duo Maxwell… Jr.” He tilted his head. “And you are—”

“I can’t give you my official number.” The boy said. “But the nickname Durga gave me was “Trilok.” 

D-2 paused. “Quatre put me in an escape pod. Is he all right?”

“I don’t know who that is.” Trilok said. “I brought you food.” He gestured. “You must be hungry.”

D-2 looked over at the snacks. “Normally I’d be burrowing into that pile of junk food, Trilok? But I don’t have much of an appetite. I need to find out if my mom and dad are okay.”

“…Mom and dad?” Trilok tilted his head.

D-2 perked an eyebrow. “Yeah, my mother and father. Well… mom I guess. Dad beat it again. He’s probably fine.”

“I can’t help you with that.” Trilok said. “…You’re my prisoner.”

D-2 blinked. “Wait. _What_.”

“I found you in your crashed escape pod, and I took you prisoner.” Trilok said, before he sat on the bed and opened a bag of chips. He took one out and studied it, before he sniffed it. “What are these?”

“…Ketchup chips?” D-2 said. “Back the carrier up. Who are you?”

“I’m a son of Kali and pilot of the Mad Tarantula Gundam, one of the War Children’s elite.” Trilok said, before he put the chip in his mouth and crunched it. He paused, and then chewed, slowly. “Ket-chup chip.”

“…Gundam?” D-2 said. “There are no more Gundams. My dad piloted one in the war. But they blew them up when they didn't need them anymore."

“We built new ones.” Trilok said. “The Gundam is the ultimate expression of the will of Kali, to tear down the imperfect society of man.”

“… _What_.” D-2 said, as Trilok ate another chip.

“You heard what I said.” Trilok said. “We’re here to tear down the society man has built. ESUN, the Colonies – all of it. We are the harbingers of destruction. That’s our holy purpose.”

D-2 frowned. “…That’s it, huh? And I’m your prisoner?” He looked up at Trilok. “Ok. So if you’re here to destroy everything… why’d you rescue me?”

Trilok paused. “As one of Kali’s chosen I have broad latitude to act as I wish as long as I’m furthering the holy mission.”

“That doesn’t answer my question. Why did you rescue me?” D-2 re-stated.

Trilok looked down at another chip in his hand. “I don’t know.” He said. “But you’re my prisoner which means I can do as I like. I will have to return to Antenora soon, though. You’ll have to come with me.” He looked up. “Until then, tell me about this place.”

D-2’s nose wrinkled. “…The colonies?”

“Yes. All of it. I knew people had built all these things but I want to understand why. Why would they put so much energy into something so impure and wrong?” Trilok gestured all around him. “I don’t understand.”

“Uh, if you’re looking for an answer to that question you’d be better off talking to my dad’s buddy Quatre, not me. He could talk your ear off about it. But I mean – I don’t know! They just are. I don’t think they’re impure and wrong! I mean some stuff’s been busted since before I was born but we’re working on fixing it!” Duo Jr. threw up his hands. “Could you give me some of those chips?”

Trilok looked down at the bag. “…No. They’re mine. I’ve never eaten anything like this before. Our food is – designed for nutrition. It’s perfect. This is… greasy and unhealthy. But it—” He ate another chip. “It must be evil. I eat one and feel temptation to eat more. They are both satisfying and open the pit of endless hunger.”

“…Yeah.” D-2 reached over and snagged a couple of cans of soda. “Try this.” He handed Trilok a can, and popped open his own, swigging it.

“…What’s this?” Trilok said, before he popped open the can.

“Grape soda.” D-2 said, before he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and belched.

Trilok wrinkled his nose, and then took a sip. His eyes widened. “…Such obscene pleasures.” He took another sip. “Truly this place must be destroyed.” Then he burped, and covered his mouth with his hand. “Disgusting.”

D-2 murmured, “Dad and I would swig these and have belching contests. He said his old buddy Solo could let out a belch so loud it scared the rats.”

“Tell me more.” Trilok said. “Tell me more about the rest of this disgusting food you eat.”

D-2 blinked. “Well this one,” he said, reaching into the pile, “Is called a chocolate bar—”

* * *

**_The Velvet Glove, Observation Deck_ **

“…The Refugee processing database says Hilde’s alive! She passed through late last night. But she checked out this morning.” Duo scratched his temple. “She didn’t leave me a message… where’s she goin’?” He blinked, slowly. “The database doesn’t say.” He continued to type at the laptop open in front of him.

“…As a free citizen she can go wherever she wants.” Quatre said, peering over Duo’s shoulder at the computer. “That is odd, though. Why wouldn’t she leave you a message?”

Duo tilted his head. “We’ve been on the outs for awhile. Actually she’s kicked me out of the house a few times. She keeps threatening to get a divorce. It’s the bounty hunter thing, she hates it.” Duo glanced up at Quatre. “But I ain’t cheated on her or anything! I love her, Quatre.”

Quatre sighed, and put his hand on Duo’s shoulder. “Duo, let me ask you a question. Would you still love her if she left you?”

Duo frowned. “It’d rip out my heart – but yeah. I suppose I would. I mean like you said. Love ain’t a switch. You can’t just turn it off. Even if she didn’t want anything to do with me, I’d still go to bat for her.”

“…I’m glad to hear that.” Quatre said. “Remember that love is the mirror of grief. It doesn’t ever go away – it just changes its shape.” He looked up at the clock on the wall. “…Triton’s shuttle is about to leave. Let’s go see him off.”

Duo looked up, and then closed the computer. “Right.”

**_The Velvet Glove: Captain’s Ready Room_ **

“…And that’s our plan as it stands.” Heero said, his hands on the table. He stared into the eyes of Lady Une, who sat opposite him. She looked down at a tablet in front of her and then back up at Heero.

“With all due respect, Heero, it’s not much of a plan.” Lady Une said.

“No, it isn’t. But we have to start somewhere.” Heero replied.

“MO-V is too far away to serve as an effective _large-scale_ manufacturing facility on our timetable. But if they have the ability and equipment to produce advanced mobile suits...” Lady Une said, before she added, “We have confirmed accounts of a Gundam being used by the War Children. Likely more.” Then her scowl deepened. “I have to decide what to do with Lon Cernan, also. He falsified his report on what happened at MO-V.”

“Make him give you the real report.” Heero said, “Privately. Maintain the fake report as the official story. It's one more piece of ugly history with dirt kicked over it from the war. So what. As I understand it the people of MO-V were duped into mobile suit production at that level. They had no interest in producing weapons to threaten Earth or the Colonies. If they were, we would’ve seen evidence of it by now. I believe Roche Nattono when he says that they disarmed themselves when they found out the war had ended.”

Lady Une twirled a pen in her hand. “The Stardust Knights were arrogant boors. Roche Nattono was a vicious man who toyed with his enemies in combat. He called them his ‘prey’. But by all accounts, he came back from MO-V a different man. OZ Prize’s expedition was lost in the tumult of the war. I was glad to be rid of them… soldiers you can’t control are a liability on the battlefield.” She looked up at Heero and smirked. “Nattono’s _official_ statement is that the Grand Chariot collided with a rogue object in the asteroid belt near MO-V, and he and his wife were the only survivors. MO-V’s asteroid miners picked him up and took him and Aretha Walker in until they recovered from their injuries and then sent them home to Earth. A pretty lie, and one I should’ve looked into more closely.”

Then she went on. “General Valder Farkill, a rival of Treize’s, left during the war to directly investigate the status of the Grand Chariot and its expedition. He never returned. When asked about that, Nattono’s official response was ‘I don’t know, he never made it to MO-V.’” She clicked her thumb on the pen. “Even at my worst, I thought Valder Farkill was a pig. Now, I think he was the kind of bloodthirsty idiot the human race is better off without.” She leaned back. “As Preventer Gold, I’m outraged at the cover-up. As Lady Une, I think that if OZ Prize and Valder Farkill hadn’t been taken off the board they could have caused _incalculable_ damage. So unofficially, my heart goes out to the people of MO-V for stopping that monster. As for Roche Nattono—” she said, “I have no proof of any war crimes he may have committed. So there’s nothing I could do about him even if I wanted to.” She added, “He was such a cruel and arrogant man. I wonder what exactly happened out there that changed him so.”

“You said he had a habit of playing with his enemies. Well, when you behave that way, being treated with kindness and compassion by people who by rights ought to just kill you has a way of shaming you. Especially when you consider yourself a knight and you claim to live by a code of honor.” Heero said. “Either way, he helped tell a big lie to protect those people – it kind of makes me like him.”

Lady Une let her gaze drift. “Do you think they’ll help us?”

Heero leaned in, his hands on the desk. “…Roche thinks they will. And considering the hell he must’ve put them through and they still helped him, I think there’s a good chance. Besides, I kind of want to meet their Gundam pilots and challenge them to a round in the simulator.”

“Why?” Lady Une asked.

“Because I think it’d be fun.” Heero said, without a change to his expression. “That’s all.”

“Hm. I thought it’d be because your status as the best is in question.” Lady Une said.

Heero turned and walked out. “It’s never in question. I _am_ the best. I have to go see Triton and Roche off.” The door hissed shut behind him.

Lady Une watched the door. “…Treize did admire that about you, Heero Yuy.” She mused, to herself. “Even your desire to compete is pure.”

**_The Velvet Glove: Hangar Bay_ **

“Make sure you send regular e-mails,” Quatre said, gripping Triton’s hands in his. “And get lots of images of MO-V and Mars for me!”

Duo stood nearby, checking out the shuttle. “Whoo-ha. Look at the booty on this girl.” He reached out and slapped it. “Slap that big ol’ ship butt! Whap!”

Roche stood nearby, with his arm around Aretha. “While your harassment of my shuttle is highly improper,” He murmured at Duo, “I too am quite taken with the new high-speed long-distance engines.”

Duo stuck his tongue out.

“…Feeling a little better, I see,” Wu Fei said, approaching. “Well, this might cheer you up more. I have more information on your wife. I was reviewing the enlistment reports this morning and her name jumped out at me in the veteran enlistments.”

“…You mean Hilde signed up with the Preventers?” Duo blinked, slowly. “…Why would she do that? She knows I hate the thought of her—” He looked up, and discovered everyone was staring at him.

“…Perhaps… and I hazard this guess having never met your wife…” Aretha said, “…She did it because she’s mad at you.”

“…Oh.” Duo said, before he smacked his palm into his forehead. “Damn it.”

“It looks like you two have a lot to talk about when next you meet.” Quatre said.

Heero approached, his steps bouncing from the reduced gravity in the hangar bay. “I just came back from a conversation with Lady Une. There isn’t going to be any court martial – she’s going to call your friend in for a full briefing on what happened out there, seal the report in her personal files, and maintain the fake report as the official truth. She agreed that the people of MO-V were guilty of no wrongdoing and that you were lying to protect them.” He paused. “But don’t ever try that with her again, or that woman will crush you beneath her shoe.”

Roche let out a relieved sigh. “There was a time I would’ve laughed in Lady Une’s face.”

“…Well, no one ever said you were bright.” Heero replied.

Aretha put her hand over her mouth to cover a grin. Roche smiled. “Indeed. It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Heero Yuy. One knight to another.”

Heero crossed his arms, and grunted. “Hmph.”

“…We have to go.” Triton said. He looked at Quatre, still gripping his hands, and then leaned in and kissed him on the mouth. “Be safe. Answer my e-mails.”

Quatre stepped back, breathless, the light in his eyes shivering. “…Okay, Triton.”

Triton looked at Heero. “Take care of Quatre. And give Relena my best. That woman is something else.” He reached down to help Roche and Aretha into the shuttle.

“Roger that.” Heero said, before the door to the shuttle closed, and it moved into launch position. The launch shield slowly descended, isolating the launch bay from the departure area.

As the engines revved to life and the launch bay door opened, Quatre waved his hand. “Good bye! Good bye! I love you!” 

The shuttle shot out into space and away from the _Velvet Glove_ , rapidly diminishing as it rocketed away. Quatre looked up, to find that now all the others were staring at him. Duo was grinning. Wu Fei had an eyebrow cocked.

“…Why is everyone so surprised?” Quatre asked, innocently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lied again. I've been bitten by the writing bug.
> 
> I liked the idea of Hilde and Duo having rough patches from Frozen Teardrop. We love the guy, but he's a butthead sometimes. However, I always felt like she was pushed into a backseat role, considering how strikingly gutsy her appearances in the original series were.
> 
> I've been getting away from the action a bit, but I'm hoping to wander back that way soon.
> 
> Thoughts? Comments? Rancid vegetables?


	6. Interlude: The past.  L2 Colony Cluster, After Colony 198

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Interlude - Doctor J comes clean with a buried secret.

**The Past. After Colony 198:**

Duo waved Heero down, at the corner café. “Heeeey, Heero! Have a seat. I ordered us tacos!” He gestured to the spread laid out, and then wagged a manila envelope. “Listen man, I don’t know what you’re up to, but I got my own life now, I’m a married man, don’t you think you should get your own address instead of having your mail forwarded to me?”

Heero slipped off his jacket, leaving him in a snug t-shirt and jeans, and sat down. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He reached out and took the envelope, before he pulled out a pocket-knife and slit it open. He shook out a plastic chip into his hand.

“…A video chip. Somebody sent you a old movie?” Duo said, around a mouthful of taco, as his eyebrows went up. “At least it’s not a bomb.” He smirked, as Heero gave him a dirty look. “Well let’s finish lunch and see what’s on that bad boy.”

Heero gave Duo a flat stare. “Fine. …Pass the hot sauce.”

Later, in Duo’s garage, Duo rummaged about. “I should have a – right. Here we go.” He pulled out a boxy device and hooked it up to an old television set sitting on his workbench. “Knew I had a chip player around here somewhere. I fixed it up for somebody, but the guy never paid, so I hung onto it for a rainy day.”

Heero slotted the chip in, and stepped back and watched as the fuzz on the TV gave way to a grinning old man with cybernetic eyes. “…Doctor J?” His eyebrows went up, his stoic mask momentarily slipping.

“…Now there’s a face I never thought I’d see again.” Duo said, squatting on a stool.

“Hello, Heero! If you’re watching this video, congratulations on reaching your eighteenth birthday! You made it, my boy! I sincerely hope the war is over, and that I am dead.” He grinned, wider. “I figured you would be hard to reach, but that the cocky young pilot of the Deathscythe would not be – so I made arrangements to have this delivered to him, and that he would know how to find you.”

The old man continued. “Whatever the case may be, I feel that you’re owed the truth – about yourself. First, the riddle of your superhuman abilities. You are stronger, faster, and more durable then men three times your size. I brushed that under the rug as part of your training – a regrettable half-truth. No amount of weightlifting will produce a boy who can bend steel with his bare hands. Second, the truth about your origins. I’ve sure that you’ve noticed that you look uncannily like the actual Heero Yuy, when he was around your age. Both of these riddles have the same answer.”

“You are the biological child of the original Heero Yuy, created with the full knowledge and complicit participation of your mother, Aoi, and your ‘father’, Odin Lowe. Your stepfather, Seis, was fully aware of the project as well. A good man, rest his soul.”

Duo nearly fell off his stool. _“What.”_

“Heero Yuy was a friend of mine. I believed in him and his mission. But after he was assassinated his followers began to drift! Quinze Quarante was _consumed_ by his desire for vengeance. Dekim Barton, by a growing lust for power.” Doctor J’s expression fell. “And when the plan for Operation Meteor was first conceived, I knew that if it succeeded a figurehead would be needed to push back against both of these men. I approached Odin Lowe, the man who killed the original Heero Yuy, and his then-wife, your mother, with my plan. Both of them agreed to it. I had taken DNA from Heero Yuy’s body before it was cremated, five years before, and preserved it. Watching Quinze and Dekim fume and _scheme_ during Heero's funeral was all the warning I needed that something was going to need to be done.”

He cleared his throat, and then continued. “My hope was that all of this would be prevented, and you could lead an ordinary life, ignorant of your true origins! Unfortunately hope is… sometimes not enough. I’m still not sure if it was Dekim or Quinze who suspected what I had done and attempted to have you killed in the confusion of that rebel attack. They killed Aoi and Seis, but you survived, due to your extra-human endurance. I take full responsibility for their deaths. She loved you completely, and he was a dutiful and loving father. They didn't deserve what happened to them.” The old man looked exhausted for a moment. Beaten. 

Then Doctor J resumed speaking. “Both Odin Lowe and I knew that his taking you in was a sub-optimal choice, but at that time I was being watched too closely. I needed someone who could train you, who would understand the skills you would need to possess during a dangerous time in order to stay alive. He told you he was your father, and then raised you until you were eight, and he himself was killed. At that time, I stepped in to complete your training.”

Heero rubbed his chin, as he listened, and the old man went on.

“In the event that Operation Meteor succeeded, I knew I would need a galvanizing figurehead to push back against Quinze and Dekim in the war to dominate the Earth Sphere that would’ve followed. Producing a blood descendant, an illegitimate son or otherwise relative of Heero Yuy would enable me to do that!” The old man’s cybernetic claw whirled and clicked together. “But at the same time I jealously wanted to preserve the kind-hearted boy I saw underneath all the scars. So I kept the truth from you.” He looked down. “I’m aware the timetable is off, but your DNA would prove you to be a true blood descendant of Heero Yuy. If I couldn’t come up with a good explanation, the people would’ve invented one on their own. Cynical of me, I know. But you have his face, his eyes, and his genes, and that’s all they would have needed.”

Then Doctor J grinned, again. “That’s why I’m so _tickled_ at this infatuation you and Relena Peacecraft have developed for each other. You see, her _grandmother_ Katrina and Heero Yuy were star-crossed lovers. I see her grandmother’s fire and steel in her eyes, Heero! She can be guided, but in a battle of wills she will _never_ yield. I’m afraid if she sets her mind on you, she’ll conquer your heart the way her grandmother did your biological father’s.” The old man chuckled. “Just my little joke.”

Doctor J cleared his throat, and continued. “Though… of course, Katrina was the warrior and Heero was the pacifist. Isn’t life funny, sometimes. Though they eventually parted ways due to their divergent responsibilities – him to the Colonies and her to the Sanc Kingdom, their influence on one another was profound for the rest of their lives.”

“As for your enhanced abilities, that… was my doing, though Odin helped it along further with the way he trained you. I knew that there was a good chance you would lead a violent life. To survive and become what I needed you to be, you would need an edge. So I tweaked your genetics during your gestation. I made you stronger, faster, able to endure more punishment and heal more quickly than an ordinary man. To wax poetic, I took God’s right to evolution in my hands and created a new type of human being! What hubris I have! What surprises me is that you have never been _boastful_ about your strength. You’ve always kept it in reserve and shown incredible gentleness and restraint outside of a fight. You get that from the original Heero.” Doctor J leaned into his cane.

“That’s the truth about who you are, whole and unvarnished. I didn’t give you a codename – I gave you back the name that’s rightfully yours. Heero Yuy. Since I’m dead, and hopefully the war is over, there’s no more _need_ for lies and obfuscations.” Doctor J frowned. “…I have used you terribly, Heero. From the moment you were conceived of as an idea, you’ve been an extension of my desires, my hopes and my schemes to end an era of bloodshed. I took the son of a man of peace and twisted him into a child soldier, to my everlasting shame. I cannot apologize enough for the evil I’ve done to you. I do not ask for your forgiveness, as some things are unforgiveable.”

“But for your eighteenth birthday, I give you your freedom. My last and possibly only real gift to you. If you feel guilt for the things you’ve done, lay those burdens on my memory and live your life the way _you_ choose, free from my meddling! Though… I do have one final request. For my beloved friend, your true father, wherever his soul may be: if you’ve fallen in love with the Peacecraft girl, _go after her_! It was always Heero Yuy’s secret wish that he could’ve laid it all down and followed her grandmother back to Earth. It would make him happy to know that two stars have crossed paths once again!”

Doctor J beamed. “Follow your heart, Heero. Good-bye, and I sincerely hope I’m in Hell!” The old man laughed, uproariously, as the recording ended.

Duo let out a slow whistle. “Daaaaaaaaaamn.” He canted his head to look at Heero, and blinked. “Hey. Hey.” He gave Heero a gentle push. “You OK?”

Heero stared at the static on the television screen. “…I don’t know.” He said, his expression softening, gaze far away. “I don’t know how I feel.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A thought that had been brewing in my head for awhile now, an attempt to reconcile some things, though I'm sure I'm stepping on a canon explanation somewhere.
> 
> TL;DR: Doctor J is a bastard.


	7. Interlude 2: Still the Past.  'Thou Canst Not Be False to Any Man'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heero visits the Marquis Weiridge.

**_AC 198. The Estate of the Marquis Weridge, St. Michael’s Mount, Cornwall, England_ **

The boat pulled up to the island dock, and the young man operating grinned at Heero. “Here we are, St. Michael’s Mount. Home of the Baron St. Levan, the Honorable Marquis Harold Weiridge…” He tipped his cap and then held it out to Heero, who obligingly put some money in It before stepping off the boat. “Pleasure, sir.”

As the boat sailed away, Heero looked up along the rocky island, to the lonely castle that brooded atop the high hill. Lights shone in some of the windows, but against the cloudy sky it looked lonely and still. He shook out the collar of his peacoat as fat raindrops began to fall, and started up the stone steps.

At the door, a maid greeted him with a polite bow and a smile, and beckoned him inside, guiding to a cozy parlor, where a roaring fire burned in the fireplace and an old gray dog lay snoring at the feat of an old man, dressed in a warm dressing-gown and slippers.

The Marquis Weiridge looked up, and paused, momentarily taken aback. “I—” He gestured. “I’m sorry. That’s the problem with getting old, Master Yuy. You startle easily. Sit, sit. Would you like tea, or something stronger?”

“…Stronger?” Heero asked, before he removed his coat. He was in a crisp white shirt and slacks, and he settled in the chair opposite the Marquis, looking uncomfortable.

“I was just having a bit of sherry. Here.” The Marquis held up a finger, and then poured Heero a measure of wine in a small, elegant glass. He handed it off to him.

Heero held the glass in his hand, and studied the amber-colored wine. “Thank you.” He tilted his chin up. “I’ve been told that you were acquainted with Heero Yuy, and Katrina Peacecraft.”

The Marquis studied Heero under gray eyebrows. His voice was gentle and reedy, but his eyes betrayed a keen intelligence as he watched him. “…So that’s it.” He threw back the sherry, and poured himself another. “When you walked in, I thought I was seeing a ghost. You look _uncannily_ like him, you know. When he was young.” He looked at a portrait above the mantle, of a young man wielding a sword. “That portrait of me was painted over fifty years ago, around the time that Heero Yuy and I became friends.” He sighed. “I can’t believe I was ever that arrogant young man.”

Heero tasted the drink, and then let out a small sigh of breath. “I want to know more about him.”

The Marquis laughed into his glass. “Not many people know much about him at all, anymore. He’s worshipped in the colonies, but when a man becomes an icon, he ceases to be remembered as human.” He stroked his beard. “He was a – thinker. A poet. A philosopher, a politician.” He smirked. “…I’m one of the few men who ever left him speechless, when I struck him with my glove and challenged him to a duel.”

Heero’s eyes widened. “A duel? Why?”

“The honor of a woman, of course.” The Marquis said, before he coughed. Heero started out of his chair. “It’s fine, it’s fine.” The Marquis said, clearing his throat. “I’m just old.” He rang a bell, and the young woman who had brought Heero in re-appeared. “Elizabeth,” the Marquis said, “In my library you’ll find a leather and gold photo album with a lock on it. Bring it here to me.”

“My lord.” Elizabeth bowed, and left the room.

The Marquis sighed, and sat back, studying the portrait. “Heero Yuy…”

When Elizabeth returned, the Marquis nodded at her. He slid the key out of the spine of the album, and opened it, turning pages of yellowed photos. “Old-fashioned, maybe, but we always found photographs captured the moment better than a digital image. Just one of those tricks played by the human eye.” He turned the page again, revealing the young man in the portrait, with a young man who looked uncannily like Heero, Prussian blue eyes and all. They were dressed in loose shirts, laughing on a boat. Heero was soaked. “That was the day I taught him how to fish! Not a lot of places to do that on the Colonies, but there have always been places that cater to the expensive tastes of the rich and powerful.”

Heero drew in a breath. “So you were friends.”

“Dear friends, for a time.” The Marquis mused. “Even if we were rivals for the affections of a woman.” He turned the page again, revealing a stern-faced woman dressed in the royal uniform of the Sanc Kingdom, holding a rapier out and standing in an advance-step stance.

“Relena?” Heero said, surprised. “No…”

“Ha! They really do look alike, don’t they? That’s Relena’s _grandmother_ , Katrina.” The Marquis let out a sigh. “During a tumultuous time in Europe, many young nobles were sent to live and study in the Colonies, myself and Katrina among them. We had an arrogant attitude toward the Colonials in those days, treating them as subject peoples.” He sighed. “Katrina stayed with the Darlians, close friends of her family. I was courting her at the time. The Darlians hired a well-educated boy as Katrina’s tutor. Heero Yuy. I instantly came to view him as a rival.”

“You said you challenged him to a duel.” Heero said, looking up at the Marquis.

“It was something of a social faux pas. Heero was well-educated and from a wealthy family, but nobody from the colonies was _noble_. He also didn’t know the point of a blade from the hilt. Still, he was prepared to accept, if only to stand there and let me draw blood on him in order to make a point… until Katrina found out about it.” The Marquis let out a wheezing chuckle. “She was furious. She held me at bladepoint and yelled at me for an hour, until Heero talked her down, and explained I was acting out of a misplaced love for her.”

The Marquis’s expression turned sad, and for a moment he looked even older. “I realized a few things that day. First, that she and Heero were soul mates. He was the only one who could calm that _temper_ of hers. And I learned that love was something I didn’t _really_ understand. In that moment in time I realized that my love for Katrina Peacecraft wouldn’t ever be reciprocated in the way I’d hoped. And that it didn’t matter – love alone was enough. It helped that after she stalked off in a huff, Heero and I snuck into the Darlian’s wine cellar and got stinking drunk. The next morning, I had the worst headache of my life, and two grand friends.” He turned back to the photo of himself and Heero on the boat. “Katrina took that photograph.”

“What happened?” Heero asked, “Between the two of them.”

“Life.” The Marquis replied. “Politics. The Earth and the Colonies being so far apart, and growing moreso every day. Though he was a soft-spoken boy, Heero was outraged at the treatment of the Colonials by the people of Earth. And the Sanc Kingdom was in very real danger of destruction. It needed a defender. So eventually, with much sorrow, they parted ways. She did the dutiful thing when she became Queen, and married to strengthen the position of her nation. She and her husband did come to love each other – but not in the same way. He never married.” He turned the page again, revealing a woman dressed in military uniform – wearing a mask. “In the fight to secure her nation and protect her people, she became Sith Merquise, the Red Elf. I fought alongside her, and was her staunchest political ally.”

“They had a great influence on each other.” The Marquis mused. “Heero taught her how to play politics. Katrina taught him how to stand up for what he believed in. Eventually Katrina and I had a falling out. She was determined to fight until the bitter end, to kneel to no one. I decided to play the system, and joined the Romefeller Foundation. We never spoke, after that.” He closed the album, and stood, grabbing a cane. “Come with me, Heero.”

“When the Alliance overthrew the Peacecraft family, ranking officers looted their estates. As a member of the Romefeller Foundation, I was able to get into the kingdom and retrieve some items from their various estates before they could be sacked. I took Katrina’s regnal jewels, which I gave to Relena to wear during her coronation. Some personal mementos from our time together.” He led Heero down a corridor, and into a gallery. “And some items that I couldn't bear to see fall into the hands of the Alliance.” He stopped, before a series of portraits.

One, Katrina. Crowned, fierce, staring, in glittering white with a scarlet cloak lined with fur, regnal scepter in her right hand and sword gripped by the scabbard in her left. The crown, earrings, and necklace she wore were indeed the same glittering jewels Relena had worn when she took her place as Queen of the World. The Marquis sighed. “Her regnal portrait. The Alliance would’ve burned it or locked it away in a safe somewhere. I suppose I should’ve given it to Relena. Katrina died defiantly, I’m told, with her sister Sabrina and her daughter, Katrina the second.”

Then he looked to the next portrait – a young man holding a book, sitting on a window seat, one hand folded in his lap, the other holding a white rose. He was wearing a slim blue suit, dark shoes, and his hair appeared ruffled by the wind. Heero paused, and blinked. “That’s me—no. It’s the real – the first Heero Yuy.”

“It is. Katrina painted this. She was a masterful artist. She wanted something to remember him by before their parting.” The Marquis sighed. “The curse of growing old is when you begin to outlive your friends, Heero.” Then he reached up and lifted a sword where it hung off the wall. It rattled in its sheath, before he drew the blade, gleaming oiled and wickedly sharp. “The sword she wielded as Sith Merquise. I understand she’d hoped to give it to Milliardo one day.”

Heero looked down. “I was recently told by my – former handler – that I’m actually the son of – I'm his son. I'm the biological son of Heero Yuy.”

The Marquis paused, and his hand quavered, before he sheathed the sword and put it back on the wall. “That can’t be possible. You’re not even a boy of twenty yet! Heero Yuy died years before you were born!”

“I know. I was created from a DNA sample taken from him shortly after his death and preserved by a scientist. It was… a scheme, to unite the colonies in the event that other plans failed.” Heero said, looking up at the portrait. He put his hand on the frame.

“That…” Marquis Weiridge slumped, “Makes a disturbing amount of sense.”

“I don’t know who I am.” Heero said. “Who I’m supposed to be.”

The old man rubbed his chin. “Well, Heero…” He gave a small smile. “Why don’t we go have some more of that vile sherry, and perhaps I can help you figure that out. I have anecdotes about Heero Yuy I haven’t ever told anyone.”

Later, Heero took a sip of the sherry out of his glass, and then said, “…You’re kidding me, old man.”

“I’m absolutely serious. He took that old short-range maintenance shuttle and supercharged it, and he and Katrina and I led the Colony Authority on a chase halfway across the cluster before the particle intermix chamber blew and they caught us. I’m amazed the shuttle engine didn’t explode and kill all three of us! I’ve never seen old man Darlian as mad as he was when he came to bail us out of jail. He had this vein in his temple that was pulsing with the beat of his heart.” Marquis Weiridge pointed to his temple, and laughed. “And when he asked Heero what he thought he was doing messing around with that engine, the cheeky sod just shrugged and said “’I thought it’d be fun, so I did it.’ As easy as you please!”

Heero put his hand over his mouth, and stifled a brief laugh, before it bubbled through his fingers. “I never imagined him that way. I –“ He said, before he suddenly grew shy.

“Out with it, lad. We’re all friends here.” The Marquis’s thick gray eyebrows wagged.

“Well… after the war, I refit the Wing Zero Gundam. There was a new technology, electromagnetic repulsor mesh, and Gundanium has a high metallic elasticity – so I switched out the big verniers on it and replaced them with wings.” Heero reached down and poured a measure of amber sherry into his glass. “And – my friends – the others. They lost their minds over it. They all thought I was refitting the Gundam to do something with it… I just thought it was a neat idea. I thought it looked cool.” He studied the glass. “It _did_ look cool. I even put hologram emitters on the Gundam so it’d look like it was shedding feathers in flight.”

The Marquis wheezed with laughter, gripping the arms of his chair. “That’s exactly the sort of thing Heero would’ve done, lad! Exactly that!” He cleared his throat, steadying himself, and met Heero’s gaze. “…There’s now no doubt in my mind. You’re his son.”

Heero set his drink down, his expression calm again. “I’m becoming reconciled to that fact, sir.” He sighed. “I just don’t know what to do with it.”

The Marquis said, “…When we were parting ways, Heero told me that he believed the only way to live a good life is to act on one’s emotions.”

“…My f- the man who raised me for a time told me that.” Heero said. 

“It was the core belief of his political philosophy.” The Marquis said. “He got it from his favorite play, _Hamlet_ , act one scene three. Do you know the verse?

Heero put his hand on his temple. “…This above all – to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not be false to any man.”

The Marquis stared at Heero, the wineglass in his hand trembling. He stilled it. “…I’m sorry, lad. For a moment I was transported back in time. Heero used to recite that verse to himself, whenever he was frustrated. Just the way you did now.” He sipped his sherry again. “Katrina _hated_ Shakespeare. ‘Fusty old English bore’ she’d call him. They used to bicker about it. It was the only time I’d ever see his temper slip.”

“…Can you tell me more about him?” Heero asked.

The Marquis looked at Heero over his glass. “Certainly. But you’ll have to be on your way _eventually_. Let’s see… there was the time he had to stop Katrina from challenging Dermail Catalonia to a duel… that one’s one of my favorites.”

* * *

Later on, Heero looked up, and noticed that the sun had gone down. “…It’s late.”

“I suppose it is.” The Marquis said. “Please. Stay here tonight. The causeway will be open in the morning, and I’ll arrange for a car to come pick you up on the other side.” He studied Heero again. “It really is uncanny. Talking with you has been like having my beloved friend here with me, one last time. Thank you, Heero.”

Heero closed his eyes. “I’m not a worthy heir to Heero Yuy, sir. And I’m not worthy of the granddaughter of Katrina Peacecraft. My hands are soaked in blood.”

The Marquis exhaled. “So are mine. I knew what I was doing when I helped unite Romefeller behind Relena. I knew that even as she pushed for disarmament, soldiers would take up her banner and fight – and die – in her name. I knew that I was undercutting Duke Dermail Catalonia, a man who was _once my friend_. So were your true father’s. Heero knew what he was doing when he advocated for Colonial unity and independence from Earth. He knew there would be a fight, and he knew lives would be sacrificed on the altar of his ideals! He did it anyway because he believed it was the right thing, and that it would ultimately lead to peace and prosperity for the colonies he loved! That’s the problem with living by the strength of your convictions, my boy – they get _tested_. There’s no such thing as a bloodless revolution. Was a high price paid for a world not at war with itself? Yes! And now you’re living in that world, which has decided to forgive you. Forgiveness doesn’t have a price tag, Heero Yuy. It can’t be begged, borrowed, stolen, or extorted. It’s either given freely, or not at all. You don’t have a say in the matter.”

The Marquis rose from his seat. “And don’t put Relena on a pedestal, lad. She’s a woman made of flesh and blood, not a marble statue. And I think any decision about your ‘worthiness’ has already been made – by her.” He studied Heero, and his eyes reflected the firelight. “Good night, Heero. Time to take the old bones to bed. Visit me again. Often. I’ve decided to spend my twilight years in this drafty old pile, curating my art collection.”

Heero sat, staring into the fire. “Good night, sir.”

In the morning, when Heero woke, dressed, and emerged from his room, he found a portrait wrapped in brown paper leaning against the wall next to his door, along with the sword of Sith Merquise, bound into the scabbard with peace cords. A note taped to the painting read, ‘The painting is for you, my friend, Heero Yuy… the second. Someday, you’ll see Milliardo again. When you do, give him the sword. – Your friend, the Hon. M. Harold Weiridge.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another interlude which was too long to really be part of another chapter, but I didn't feel like making part of another story.
> 
> I'm borrowing things here and there from 'Frozen Teardrop' but putting my own spin on them. In a discussion of someone, I worried I was putting too much gloss on events, and on the wider world. I'm not very good at being a cynical writer, but I'm trying to rub a little bit of dirt on it.
> 
> What do you think?


	8. Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plans are made.

_**Zalmava Corporation. Gym.**_

“So…” Riley Jenks said, as he watched Graham Norton exercise on the “Your endeavor has led to the evacuation of the _entire_ L2 Colony Cluster, shutting down our operations there _indefinitely_. The outright destruction of two colonies in the cluster, with no known survivors from one of the two and a death toll still rising from when the second colony came apart.” He sat with his legs crossed, studying a tablet, his finger brushing it to scroll through information.

“You have a problem with this?” Graham Norton said, grunting as he swung his racquet and struck a ball coming in off the wall.

“You almost killed Quatre Raberba Winner, the most powerful man in the colonies…” Jenks added.

“Feh. _Almost._ I’ve always hated that sanctimonious little _runt_. Besides, he’s responsible for more than _his_ share of carnage. The hypocrisy of a Gundam pilot preaching about peace and cooperation is _disgusting_.” Norton struck the ball again, and grunted. “Ah, still got the moves!” He rolled his shoulders. “I was in White Fang during the war, you know. Snuck in under the general amnesty and started my fortune collecting mobile suit and ship parts from the battlefield for scrap.”

Jenks looked up and raised his eyebrow. “Frustrated revolutionary?”

“No.” Norton said, “I just know chaos creates opportunity. That’s where this whole idea came from. The Eve War was a massive expenditure of resources, but the end of it was a breath of economic life into Earth _and_ the Colonies.”

Jenks studied his tablet. “One would wonder, why disrupt the system then?”

“Because you can _always_ make more money. See, I realized, war is a self-perpetuating system. Put it in motion, and after the initial expenditure other parties will pick up the slack. The disruption I create leads to _years_ of profit down the line in multiple areas, from munitions manufacture to advanced computer systems. You’ve seen my notes.” Norton grunted and struck the ball again. “Even the cost of the Gundams I built is outstripped by our future profit projections.”

Jenks mused. “That’s true, but there’s one thing I’m curious about-“

Norton snorted. “What?”

“…What if these War Children win, sir?” Jenks asked. “What if they get out of control.”

“First of all, they won’t. The Colonies and Earth will remilitarize to stop the threat. And even if they weren’t up to the task I’ve engineered the threat specifically to goad the men who piloted the Gundams in the Eve War into joining the fight. The designs of the Gundams I had built are a deliberate mockery of the mobile suits they used.” He struck the ball again. “And even then, I have complete control over Durga. They’re set up to succeed initially and fail in the long run.” He stopped, and stood, sweating. “Why the probing questions?”

“Because they have to be asked to make sure you’re at the top of your game, sir.” Jenks said. “We’re not in the business of taking things on faith.”

“I’m no idealist.” Norton said. “Idealism landed men like Heero Yuy and Quinze Quarante in the grave. I’m a capitalist. I don’t just create profit, I create _opportunities_ for profit.”

“Of course.” Jenks said.

“Anyway, Durga assures me that things are proceeding right on schedule. They’ll be bringing their main base into L2 and proceeding with attacks to harry and destabilize the colonies. I do have to sacrifice some of our less profitable operations – if we were miraculously unscathed, it could leave a trail.” Norton added, as he wiped his brow with a towel. 

“…So it occurs to me, sir. You really could use an on-site supervisor. Just in case.” Jenks mused.

“What do you mean?” Norton asked.

“Well. This plan has a lot of moving parts.” Jenks said. “You could use someone there to make sure things don’t fall apart.” He stroked his chin. “If I’m caught by the War Children and taken prisoner, you can have Durga manipulate events so that I’m in a position to – observe. Keep things under control.” He smirked.

“…It’s not a bad plan.” Norton said. “Of course, I’m confident in what I created the War Children to do. But… no reason to not hedge your bets. You know, you’ve seemed like you disapprove of the idea. I know it’s risky. It even seems far-fetched. But I’ve done the math. It’ll work.”

“Stress-testing is an important part of every process, sir.” Jenks said, his head bowed. “Making sure that it stands up to scrutiny. I’ll take a shuttle out to L2 and arrange to get caught. Just make sure Durga is waiting for me.”

Norton hurled the rubber ball at the wall, and struck it with his racquet. “This is why I insisted on bringing you in, Jenks. I knew you were a company man – who appreciated audacious vision!” He grunted again, as the ball missed him.

Jenks watched the ball go rolling by. “I believe in getting in on the ground floor of the future.” He gave a small smile.

* * *

_**The Velvet Glove: Relena and Heero's Quarters.** _

Heero opened one eye, at the buzz of the alarm going off, and exhaled. He required little sleep – the physician had noted that he seemed to gain the benefit of eight hours’ sleep on four. His physical differences had been easy enough to chart – denser muscle fibers and stronger bones, which made him a good thirty pounds heavier than he looked. Reduced lactic acid production in his muscles. Faster twitch responses. 20/05 vision. On intelligence tests, he charted in the top percentile for problem-solving and lateral thinking, with high ratings in all other areas. The doctor had called him ‘A masterwork of subtle genetic engineering.’ Nothing about him was truly _inhuman_ , but everything had been – tuned up. Beyond the standard. 

He had, offhandedly, asked the doctor what that meant about having children, whether his traits would be passed along to them. And whether that could cause any complications for a hypothetical child’s mother. The doctor had simply said, ‘If it were me, I wouldn’t chance a natural birth.’

That night, Heero hadn’t slept at all.

Relena, on the other hand, needed ordinary amounts of sleep. Given the nature of her work, she didn’t always get it – one of Heero’s tasks was to remind her to go to bed. Work would still be there in the morning.

Sleep had become a luxury for him, an indulgence. He could take his time drifting off and laze when he woke up in the morning. He enjoyed the warmth of Relena sleeping beside him, the easy rhythm of her breath. And when she rolled over and curled up against him, he would find himself unable to move and unwilling to wake her.

But he could stroke her hair and meditate in the warm silence for hours, and often did.

Tonight, her sleep was restless. Her eyes would often squeeze shut tightly, and she was seldom still. Finally, at the alarm, Relena woke up with a sharp intake of breath, and grabbed for Heero’s wrist, pulling it around her. “Are you awake?”

Heero gave a soft murmur, in the affirmative.

“Nightmares.” Relena said. “I dreamt – I dreamt we were back at Libra, and I was watching the battlefield. But the Mobile Dolls turned into monsters, giant twisted black bats. And then my father was there, speaking to me, but he was dead. I called out for you, but you weren’t there.” She buried her face against Heero’s bare chest.

Heero laced his fingers through Relena’s. “Just a nightmare. Nothing to worry about.”

“Where do we go from here, Heero?” Relena asked, her eyes open. “It feels like everything we’ve worked for is getting erased.” She stroked Heero’s belly for a moment, in silence.

Heero stared up at the ceiling. “Relena… if I have to kill out there-“

Relena leaned up, and kissed Heero on the mouth, silencing him. “You didn’t promise _me_ you wouldn’t. That was a promise you made to yourself. I’m not naïve, Heero. Not anymore.” She tightened her arm around him. “I understand that sometimes choices get taken away from us. And I know that you’ll act with as much restraint and compassion as you feel the situation allows.”

“You won’t think less of me?” Heero asked.

Relena snuggled into him again. “Never. My faith in you is unshakeable.”

Heero stared upward. “We should do it.” He said, finally. “…Have a family.” His arm tightened around her. “I’m not saying that because you want to. I’m saying that because I want to have one, with you. Life doesn’t stop to give you time to make up your mind.” He buried his face in her hair. “And I will not let my past hold me back from having a future.” He sighed. “As for your career – we’ll make it work.”

Relena gave a small smile. “All right then. It’s settled.” She paused. “And what will you name our as-yet hypothetical children?”

“I have names picked out.” Heero said. “I think you’ll like them, but it’s a surprise.”

* * *

_**Long-Range Shuttle "Gallant":** _

“Acceleration good.” Triton said, in the pilot’s seat of the shuttle, “Fuel intermix good. Thrusters good. Radiation shields good. Heat shields good. Sensors good, computers good… all systems green. Setting the shuttle on autopilot.” He stood up, and walked into the back of the shuttle. “These new shuttles make me feel like an old man.” He said, as he heated water in a cup, added a packet of instant coffee, and after making sure the cup was sealed tight, gave it a brisk shake. “Once you’re out in open space, you punch in your destination and they basically fly themselves.” He put the cup to his mouth and took a sip. “…Better coffee, too.” Then he floated over to his berth, and settled in, strapping himself down. He opened a compartment, took out a dog-eared paper book, and began to read.

Roche looked up, from where he was skimming through pages on a tablet. “You know, that’s the most words I’ve heard you say in sequence since we started this trip?”

“I’ve never been one for small-talk,” Triton admitted. “Growing up around mercenaries teaches you to value moments of silence.”

Roche sat back in his swivel chair. “Triton Bloom. Trowa Barton. …Pilot 03. The career soldier. You know, out of all of you, you were the one I wanted to fight?”

Triton peeked up from his book. “Is that right?”

“Our intelligence indicated you were a mercenary, battle-hardened and ruthless, possessing a Gundam with immense firepower – a stone-cold killer who’d crush anyone who got between you and your objective.” Roche said, leaning in, his elbow on his knee.

“An incomplete assessment, but not incorrect.” Triton replied.

“I wanted to beat you and prove that the chivalrous knight was a superior force on the battlefield to the profit-driven soldier. The knight slays the mercenary… what a romantic story it was in my head.” Roche put the tablet away. 

Triton slid a bookmark into his book and closed it. “Honestly dueling was more Heero’s style than mine. I would’ve just killed you. But go on.”

Roche sighed. “The vows of a knight include promises to protect the weak and abhor meanness and deceit. And yet, I was in violation of those vows. It took the people of MO-V showing me compassion I didn’t deserve in order to shock me to my senses that what I was doing was wrong. And yet you, a soldier of fortune came to those qualities more naturally than I did.”

Triton considered that, as he folded his hands onto his belly. “Not that naturally. Your initial assessment of me was correct. But the key difference is, I kept an open mind and learned from others around me. Heero taught me the value of following my heart. Quatre taught me that a strong sense of ethics is not a detriment to achieving one’s goals – it’s an asset.”

He tapped his fingers together. “In many ways, I had to un-learn what I had learned as a mercenary. I spent an extended period of time with severe memory loss during the war. All of my life’s experiences, good or bad, were gone, and I started all over again. I cherish that time now, because I got to begin again with a clean slate, not beholden to my past. When I chose to get involved in the fight during that time, it was my decision, based on my own assessment of right and wrong.”

“It took being shamed by my enemy’s gallantry to teach me the difference between right and wrong.” Roche said. “I don’t want to get the people of MO-V involved in this fight. They’re good people, decent people. They’re not soldiers. Or knights.”

Triton looked over at Roche, green eye peering through his bangs. “You treat this as if it’s some sort of stain on your character. I’ve known many people who never figured out the difference between right and wrong at all. I’m not afraid of dying, but I do have a problem with dying for a bad cause. If I didn’t, I’d still be a mercenary.” He tapped his thumbs together.

Roche stiffened, and looked startled, before he gave a small smile. “…I suppose that’s so.”

“As for the people of MO-V, your reluctance to involve them in this is commendable, but it isn’t your decision to make. We’ll explain the situation to them and ask for their assistance.” Triton said.

“Would you really have just crushed me?” Roche asked.

“At the beginning of the war, yes.” Triton said. “By the end – I’m not sure. I think – maybe – you and I have something in common. Every career duelist – like you - is in some way seeking out the man who can beat him. He wants what he defines as a good death. I was seeking out a death fighting for a good cause. I think in some way we both wanted to die. I hope we would’ve recognized that in one another.”

“…And we both plunged into the river of death and came out on the other side, washed clean of our sins.” Roche said, before he threw back his head and laughed.

Triton began to laugh as well, throwing back his head. “…I suppose so.”

The door at the back of the cabin hissed, and Amelia float-stepped in. “What’s going on?” She asked. “What’s so funny?”

Roche stood up and took Amelia’s hands in his. “…Your fool of a husband, my darling,” He said, before he led her through a floating series of dance steps. “…That’s all.”

Triton watched them, and then said, “These people on MO-V must be one heck of a crew.”

* * *

“Part of the problem with planning for space combat is that everything is always in motion. Distances, positions, angles of attack – the entire battlefield is in constant flux. Computers assist with making those advanced calculations and determining correct battlefield positioning, but any delay in battle, any unforeseen event can completely change that information and necessitate a complete recalculation of the field of combat. So when engaging in space combat, you need a strategist and tactitican who can analyze the battlefield and give good orders on the spot. In all my life, I’ve known three true masters of that kind of instantaneous battlefield assessment: Colonel Treize Kushrenada, Duchess Dorothy Catalonia, and Quatre Raberba Winner.”

-Lady Une’s notes

* * *

**_The Velvet Glove: Captain's Ready_ _Room._**

“We need more intelligence about the War Children,” Lady Une said, to a group of senior Preventer officers, gathered together around a holographic display emanating from a circular table. “And that means we need to capture one of them. We need to acquire a high value target – and that means one of their Gundams.”

There was a quiet murmur amongst the officers. Finally one spoke. “That seems like an incredibly dangerous operation, ma’am.”

“It’s pleasing to know that you place such a high value on the life of your men. That’s why you’ll be happy to know that in addition to Preventer Jade,” She gestured to Wu Fei, “We’ll be receiving the assistance of other skilled operators to complete this task.” 

The door hissed, and Heero, Duo, and Quatre entered. “Ma’am.” Quatre said to Lady Une. Duo snorted and rolled his eyes.

“They will be operating on the battlefield alongside the rest of you under Preventer Jade’s command.” Lady Une said, before she continued. “The War Children have begun expanding their operations out past L2, attacking civilian shuttles and seizing shipping. We’ve cut back shipping to essentials and are sending Preventer escorts out to guard those shipments, but that’s less of a deterrent to the War Children and more of an invitation to a fight.”

“So we’re going to set a trap.” Quatre said, stepping in. He slotted a chip into the holographic projector, and the battlefield layout changed, displaying an outline of a convoy and another approaching ship. “We’re going to send a large number of mobile suit transports, and the second corvette squadron along with the cruisers _New York_ and _Yamato_. The transports will be empty, and the _New York_ is set for decommissioning anyway, so we’re going to sacrifice it to the enemy. That’s when the _Yamato,_ running perpendicular to the convoy, will move into position and spring the trap, deploying our real Mobile Suits. The goal is to appear to be staging an assault large enough that they’ll dispatch one of their Gundams.”

“And how are we supposed to do that? We can’t just wrestle a Gundam to the ground.” One officer said. “During the war, OZ’s plans to subdue you all included _staggering_ casualty calculations. We can’t do that again. We don’t _want_ to do that again.”

Quatre smiled. “And we don’t have to. One of the modular features on the Chameleon is a projectable shield made of micro-defensors. Several Chameleons acting in concert could use those defensors to project a net around the Gundam and then short out its systems. It’d be dead in the water. But that involves keeping the Gundam off-balance and focused elsewhere until the net can be deployed.”

“You’d need incredibly skilled pilots to do that and get out alive.” An officer said.

“And that’s why we’re here!” Duo said.

“With the exception of Preventer Jade, none of you have piloted a mobile suit in combat in over a decade.” The officer said, a dubious look on his face.

“Aw, it’s like riding a bike!” Duo said. “We’ll be fine!”

“We’ll be training under Wu Fei and logging simulator time in order to get back up to speed and acquainted with the Chameleons.” Heero said. “We’ll be ready.”

“And I’ll be as hard on them as I’ve been to all the other agents under my command.” Wu Fei said, tilting his head up.

Lady Une looked up at the pilots and officers. “That’s it, then. You know your jobs – go and do them!”

* * *

**_Later. Space. Outside the Velvet Glove._ **

“Come on, slugs.” Wu Fei called. “You’ve barely touched me!” Tallgeese dropped between the three Chameleons from above. The suit’s cannon and beam saber were set to a low intensity, unable to do more than leave scorch marks on the other suits, but each of them was blackened and charred. Heero alone had been able to keep up with Wu Fei, trading blow for blow.

Quatre pulled his helmet off in his cockpit to wipe the sweat off his brow. “Time out, guys. Whew! It’s amazing how these skills atrophy when you aren’t using them anymore.”

Duo grumbled. “ _Somebody_ has been using an MS Simulator to keep his edge for the past decade.”

Heero grunted, his beam saber caught in a tight lock with Wu Fei’s. “It relaxes me.”

“Your reactions are slow.” Wu Fei said, “Your reflexes are dull. You’re _not aggressive_ enough.” The Tallgeese’s heat rod slithed around the Chameleon’s arm, and hurled the other mobile suit away. 

“Bein’ a little hard on us, aren’t you?” Duo asked, as he made some experimental strike-lunge-dodge maneuvers with his Chameleon. “It’s so groovy how I can feel the handling of this suit changing to support my style the more I work with it.”

“The Chameleon’s Assist Intelligence is developed from Sandrock’s ALICE pilot support system and the Artificial Intelligence system that operated the Mobile Dolls.” Quatre said. “I helped design it for the Preventers, with the goal of building a Mobile Suit that exists to _save_ lives, including the pilot’s.”

“Is there any technological development from the past decade you _haven’t_ helped design, Quatre?” Duo asked.

“…Probably.” Quatre said, a prim tone in his voice.

“I don’t deny its effectiveness,” Wu Fei said, “But I still train my pilots to operate without it. If they rely too much on the Assist then their own skills atrophy in the cockpit.”

Heero floated upside-down relative to the others, nearby. “I’ve been in suits you’ve had to overcome before, but never one that actively cooperated with you, until now. It’s a funny feeling.” He warmed up his beam saber again. “We need to get back to training.”

Later, Duo stopped near Quatre’s Chameleon, and pulled off his helmet to take a swig from a bottle of water. “Did you know they’re making a mini-series about us?” Duo asked Quatre. “It’s supposed to be some big, sweeping epic about the horrors of war and the bonds of brotherhood. Sounds pretentious if you ask me.”

“I bet it’s going to be filled with long-winded speeches and cloying pontificating.” Wu Fei said, stopping nearby.

“Heero’s being played by a woman, and there’s going to be a love triangle between him, Duo, and Relena.” Quatre said. “The actress called me and asked me for coaching advice on how to perfect your intense stare, Heero. She said she wants to capture your fierce yet innocent spirit. What a sweetheart!”

Duo considered that, and then said, “Hey, I’m cool with that. Heero’s a pretty enough guy. And I never could pull down a princess in real life.”

“No,” Heero said, “You couldn’t.” He let his suit drift, thoughtfully. “An intense stare, huh?”

“Yeah, you have this intense, angry, lost boy stare,” Duo said, “Girls go crazy for it. Just like they do my cocky, in-your-face attitude!”

Wu Fei let out a disgusted grunt. “Back to work. You fools are so rusty I can practically hear you _creaking_.”

Quatre laughed and took off ahead of the others in his suit, and the others chased after him. 

Later on, on the _Velvet Glove_ , Heero walked into the cabin, dropped his helmet on the floor, and pushed back his sweaty hair. Then he put one hand on the back of Relena’s chair and spun her around, his other hand reaching out to grip the edge of the desk. He fixed his gaze on hers.

Relena’s eyes widened, and she let out a gasp. “Heero!” She put her hand on her chest, and then he caught it in his.

Heero’s eyes narrowed. “Relena. Is it true that I have an intense, angry, lost-boy stare?”

Relena’s breath caught, and she let out a faint nod. “…Yes.”

“Do you find it attractive?” He asked, leaning in close.

Relena gave a brief, hitched nod. “Very much.”

A small smile crept up at the corners of Heero’s mouth. “… _Cool_.” He leaned in and kissed her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you guys feel these humorous moments add to or detract from the story? My instincts make me want to humanize my characters with the injection of some levity, but I worry it might obscure a more dramatic tone. As always, your thoughts are welcomed!


	9. Rhythm Emotion - First Movement.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Preventers spring their trap.

“You want my opinion? My statement about the war? What? Okay, fine. The war was shit. _All_ wars are shit. And that’s why whatever problems ESUN might have, it’s a damn sight better than the alternative. You look at ESUN and you see all the issues that come with running a government. Bickering, grift, arguments about allocation of resources. I look at ESUN and I see a world full of people that _aren’t shooting at each other_. What don’t I see? Let’s start with bombed-out churches and dying nuns and go from there.”

-Duo Maxwell

* * *

_**Long-Range Shuttle "Gallant".** _

The portable Mobile Suit simulator was a jumped-up version of a child’s video game console. It consisted of an enclosing helmet and operator’s controls that could be fastened to a standard seat in a shuttle or starship, that were wired into a central unit.

Roche studied the live display of Triton’s combat on the monitor, and furrowed his brow. OZ had never trained their mobile suit pilots like this. It was an entirely different style. Triton would invariably select a high firepower load-out, but then couple it with a doctrine of mobility, of constant awareness of his own positioning and the placement of enemies around him – and then he would move in unorthodox ways, confounding attempts to surround or enclose him. All the while, he would lay down a withering field of fire.

“Incredible.” Roche said. “I’ve never seen anyone fight like that in a mobile suit before. How are you – no, maybe it’s better that I not know. You only have one weakness.” He looked over to Triton, who pushed up his goggles. “If an enemy with a high level of close combat ability pins you down, you’re at a disadvantage. I grant you’re aware of that weak spot and your _baffling_ mobility in a mobile suit compensates for it. But just the same: you can fight, but you can’t _duel_ , Triton.”

Roche murmured, “I was trained the opposite way. Single an opponent out of the group, and then take them apart in close combat.” He reached down, picked up a second VR helmet, and pulled it on. “Teach me how you fight.”

The two pilots had opposing styles. Triton would stay on the move, laying down heavy fire, and Roche instinctively closed – what resulted between them was an intricate dance. When Triton could keep Roche away, he would score the win. When Roche was able to close, he was able to overpower Triton and disable his suit.

“You fight similarly to Quatre,” Triton said, his fingers twitching on the controls, “But your offense is more aggressive. You have a bloodthirst. It causes you to overextend.”

“Not like I once did.” Roche said, as he attempted to pin Triton down, only to find himself swinging at air. “Unbelievable,” he said, as Triton tagged him. 

“A pilot’s combat style is like their fingerprint.” Triton said. “Duo was once able to identify that a Mobile Doll had been programmed with my pilot data. Then he was able to adapt using that knowledge and beat it.” He murmured, “But he’s less of a duelist and more of a street fighter.”

“A heated combat between two pilots is like a dance, where you learn and respond to your enemy’s steps. In a way, it becomes intimate. There have been aces throughout history who would seek out a specific foe on the battlefield – or seeing their foe at a disadvantage, would refuse to continue the fight. That may seem excessively flowery to some, but for some men, battlefield rivalry is the only friendship they ever know.” He curled his hands around his controls. “L’escrime est un art et une science, mais le duel est tout. En garde!”

* * *

“Pilot Zero-Three remains something of an enigma. We know that prior to becoming the operator of a Gundam he was a member of a mercenary company, who were wiped out shortly before he traveled to the Colonies and began working for the Barton Foundation as a mechanic. While some who’ve met him comment on his stoic, even icy demeanor, I find him to be something of a chameleon, changing his tone of voice, demeanor, and even his body language in subtle ways in order to blend in.” 

“I found him to be a superior flight officer when he insinuated himself into OZ and served aboard the Space Fortress Barge, and still consider him to have been such despite his ulterior motives. I once asked him if he had infiltrated the organization in order to kill me. His response was typically enigmatic: ‘I intended to assassinate you eventually, but first I wanted to understand you.’ Out of the five Gundam operators, Zero-Three ‘Trowa Barton’ may have been the best soldier, with the keenest understanding of battlefield protocol and military regulations.”

“While he may generally present a cool demeanor, I find that his eyes betray his emotions. If he is curious, angry, or hurt – it will all be in Zero-Three’s eyes. This is one of the reasons he wears his hair to obscure them from casual view, I think.”

“As a further note, Zero-Three is also the finest acrobat I have ever seen. He has an impeccable sense of balance and total awareness of his body positioning. He can walk a tightrope as casually as you or I might cross an open stretch of floor and is wholly capable of using areas of reduced gravity to his advantage in a fight. After laying down his guns, he joined – or rejoined – a traveling circus he had used as cover during the war, and I had the opportunity to take in one of their shows. He seemed… happy, performing for others. At peace.”

“However, ESUN’s new regulations regarding the procurement and transportation of endangered animals in space have negatively impacted traveling circuses, and I understand Zero-Three’s circus has decided to close down. I can’t help but wonder what’s next for him.”

-Lady Une’s Notes

* * *

_**L2 Colony Cluster.** _

The approach of the asteroid was heralded by mobile suits and shuttles engaging in debris cleanup. The destruction of the colony that had previously occupied that positioning point was necessary – in order to ensure stable orbit the asteroid would need to take its place. The asteroid base was massive – the rock had been cut into a diamond shape, with structures glittering across its four facets. From a distance, it looked like a gem floating in space.

“Asteroid Omega entering the system now. Hail, Durga!” One of the mobile suit pilots called.

“Hail, Durga! Holy mother!” The others replied.

On the bridge of the _Antenora_ , a warning alert went off. “…Preventers attack force closing in on the L2 area at point 086-X. …Mobile suit strike team escorting a cruiser.”

“…Pathetic. Who’s closest?”

“That would be the Ki-Rin Gundam and the 08th Draconis team.” 

“Contact Ki-Rin and tell them to deploy. How dare they sully the arrival of Durga with this pathetic attack. Crush them!”

* * *

_**Approach to the L2 Colony Cluster: Preventer Cruiser “Yamato”.** _

“The _New York_ is under autopilot and is approaching L2 colony space, Lady Une. The Four Horsemen are suited up in the ship’s docking bay and ready to deploy.” An officer reported.

“Mobile suit troops traveling with the decoy train are prepared for battle.” Another officer called in, his hand on his headset.

“We are detecting a scramble from the L2 Cluster area. Long range sensors indicate enemy mobile suits moving into formation, including one traveling ahead at a high rate of speed. Getting a visual from the _New York_ now.”

The suit that appeared on the viewscreen was akin to an animal in shape. It had four clawed legs, engine boosters, and a spread of flexible Gundanium wings. Guns mounted below the chest provided firepower, and a long tail snaked behind it.

“It’s a new model, Preventer Gold. Not one of the documented Gundams we’ve seen before.” One of the bridge officers said.

Lady Une put her hand on her hip. “This is an unforeseen challenge. That machine was built for high speed and high mobility. When they come into range, have the _New York_ open fire and rile that hornet’s nest up. Lure them into attacking it first. Tell the Horsemen to be ready to deploy at any moment.”

As the enemy approached, the New York’s big particle projection guns turned and locked into place. They opened fire, and the War Children Mobile Suits scattered around the beams before coming together in an angry swarm.

“They’re taking the bait, Preventer Gold.” The tactical officer reported. “Closing to weapons distance in three… two… one. The battle has begun!”

The enemy struck hard. The principle MS of the War Children was predominantly red, but white at the front – they had a long and sinuous profile, with great shoulder-mounded engines akin to wings. Their ranged weapon of choice was a plasma launcher mounted on the left arm, but they also included missile launchers mounted on the legs of the suit and a beam lance affixed to the right arm. One Preventer analyst had taken to calling them “Smaugs” after a dragon from a story, and the name had stuck. They were fast, and they hit hard.

The winged mobile suit at the head of the charge struck first, swooping in low over the bow of the Yamato and opening fire with its front-mounted guns. The beam lances struck the bridge, causing it to explode, violently – as the ship listed, the cargo bay doors opened, and the Tallgeese tumbled out into space, along with three Chameleons.

“The Horsemen are deployed, Preventer Gold. We are moving into position.” The _Yamato_ accelerated, and the Mobile Suit carriers deployed with it rocketed ahead.

The pilot of the Ki-Rin whirled. “Enemy ship destroyed. Too easy, I-“ An alarm noise went off in the cockpit. “…Second ship approaching? …This is a trap!” The pilot growled. “Well I’ll show _you_ just what kind of animal you’ve got by the tail! Draconis mobile suits, form up on me. Ki-Rin to _Antenora_ , give me an ETA on getting another Gundam out here!”

“Mad Tarantula is on its way, Ki-Rin,” a voice replied, “But we’re all caught out of position. They tricked us!” 

The pilot of the Ki-Rin growled. “Then it looks like I’ll have to do this _myself_.” The suit dove, scoring a hit on an enemy Leo, rending the suit apart – as it shot past another, the pilot took careful aim and fired, and the impact of the beam shot struck a glancing blow on the winged mobile suit.

By now, the first wave of reinforcements had joined the battle, and it had well and truly begun.

The War Children had the edge in aggression, but the team tactics practiced by the Preventers were able to keep up with them – where individual mobile suits were outgunned, teamwork compensated and made for an even fight.

Lady Une put her hand on her chin as she analyzed the battle. “They’re all offense. Put them on the back foot and they lose unit cohesion like new recruits, not battle-tested veterans…” She looked up. “Press the Smaugs! Don’t get out of formation but _don’t let up_! Tactical, keep laying down cover fire and breaking up their formations! Horsemen, are you in position?”

Wu Fei radioed back. “We’re in position, Preventer Gold. We were doing a last second tactical adjustment to compensate for the _speed_ of that suit, but Quatre has a plan that will work.”

“Then get to it.” Lady Une replied.

“You heard the lady.” Quatre said. The four pilots spread out.

On the bridge, Lady Une watched the lights of the battle from a window. She clasped her hands behind her back and watched the flare of light, the detonation of the impact of rockets. “All that work, and it feels like we’re right back where we started.”

“Lady Une, a group of Smaugs has broken off and is headed straight for us!” Tactical reported.

“Point defense guns ready!” Lady Une barked.

“Wu Fei, the Tallgeese is the only MS with the engines to keep up with that mobile suit move for move, we need you to herd it. Duo, get in close and keep it off balance with me. Heero, stay at range.” Quatre said, as the suits spread out. The Ki-Rin shot past him, and he narrowly juked out of the way. “It’s so fast!”

The Pilot of the Ki-Rin rocketed around. “Good pilot. I wonder if-“ The Tallgeese came crashing down onto it from above, beam saber out, and the pilot brought the Ki-Rin’s tail up and around, a beam blade lancing from the end to block the strike. It pushed off against the Tallgeese, and sprayed shots at it – then had to lurch away when one of the green mobile suits that had moved to range began taking shots on it. That movement pushed it into contact with another one of the suits, which crashed into its side in a tackle. “What the!?”

“Lady Une, we are in position to start setting up the subdual net, but we can see a group of Smaugs headed for the _Yamato_. Shall we break off to intercept?”

“Negative!” Lady Une replied. “Complete the mission!”

“Enemy mobile suits are closing, Lady Une! Firing point defense!”

“Scramble mobile suit defenses!” Lady Une said. She turned, as one of the Smaugs shot up in front of the bridge, and she stared into its sensor eye as it raised its beam lance to strike.

“Do it then.” Lady Une said to the Mobile Suit. “I’m not afraid.”

There was a crash, as a Chameleon shot over the bow of the ship and crashed into the Smaug, knocking it aside and out of view. “I’ve got this!” The pilot, a woman, radioed in.

Lady Une brushed a strand of hair back. “…Note that pilot down for a commendation for valor.” Lady Une said. “What’s her name?”

“I’ll get that for you, ma’am.”

The pilot of the Ki-Rin grasped their controls and let out a snarl as one of the Chameleons deflected another blow from its energy blade. Each of the four pilots had their own style, but together they were almost impossible to crack. The pilot of the Tallgeese was aggressive, but also cunning and deadly fast. The pilot who stayed at range bad all-round skill. Of the two that were getting in close, one was a superior pilot, able to approach from unexpected angles with the ability to seemingly evaporate away from what should’ve been killing strikes. The other had a seemingly unbreakable defense. Meanwhile, more of the green suits were putting themselves into position to do – something.

“Enough of this!” The Ki-Rin pilot said, before it spread its wings. “Celestial Light go!” Then the suit emitted a blinding flash.

“What the—” Duo said, throwing his arm over his eyes. “Oh, that’s just a dirty trick—”

Near the Yamato, the pilot who had tackled the Smaug away from the bridge finished pummeling the suit before pushing it away to let it drift, and looked up at the bright flash of light. “…They’re gonna need help.” She said to herself, before rocketing toward the battle.

“GOT YOU!” The Ki-Rin pilot said, as she lunged out of the flash of light toward Duo’s Chameleon, grabbing the suit and sending them both tumbling end over end. Claws sunk in, and pulled the Chameleon’s arm out of its socket, and then its tail swirled around, energy blade flaring to life.

Duo clenched his jaw – and then grabbed hold of the Ki-Rin with his suit’s remaining arm. “If this is how I go out, THEN BRING IT ON.”

Suddenly there was a jarring crunch, as another Chameleon rocketed into their midst, and grabbed hold of the Ki-Rin’s tail at the base. “No… you… DON’T!” The pilot called, before the suit wrenched the Ki-Rin’s tail free with a violent twisting motion.

“Preventer Jade, we are in position, but those two Chameleons will be caught in the net-“

“DO IT!” Wu Fei ordered. “We won’t get a better chance than the one we’ve got right now!”

The gathered Chameleons activated their Defensor arrays in unison, spreading them out, and then enclosing the trio of mobile suits. The defensors flared to life with a crackle of violet electromagnetic energy, and then formed an enclosing net.

“What—” The Ki-Rin’s pilot growled. “NO!” They gripped their controls as alarm klaxons went off. “Suit unresponsive – NO!”

Duo closed one eye and leaned back in his cockpit, as the Chameleon’s systems went haywire around him.

“Energy net deploy successful, Preventer Gold!” The tactical officer on board the Yamato reported. “The enemy MS and two of the Chameleons are dead in the water.”

“Then get them on board and _get us the hell out of here_!” Lady Une said. “Notify all mobile suits that we are _retreating_!”

One of the enemy pilots looked up. “ _Antenora, Antenora_ , come in! They’ve sprung some kind of disabling net. Ki-Rin is down, _Antenora_. Come in! Do we press the attack? Do we destroy the Ki-Rin? _Antenora_ , respond!”

A moment later a woman’s voice replied. “Do not press the attack. Return to me.”

“…Yes, mother Durga. All Draconis suits…” The pilot growled, “…Retreat.”

The Pilot of the Ki-Rin looked up and slammed their fists on inert controls. “NO! DO NOT RETREAT! DESTROY THE ENEMY! DESTROY—” They struck the controls again, as their suit was herded toward the enemy ship. “Destroy… even the self-destruct isn’t working.” Then the pilot let out an anguished cry and began to weep.

“They’ve brought in the enemy mobile suit, Preventer Gold. We’ve also captured one of the Smaugs, but it’s badly damaged. The pilot didn’t survive.”

“I’m going down there. Captain, you have the bridge.” Lady Une departed, briskly. “Have a security team meet me there!”

In the docking bay, a group of engineers stood at the ready, as Lady Une arrived. A security team stood at the ready, guns drawn. Nearby, another group of engineers had extracted Duo from his mobile suit, and a medic was checking on him, while another were working on doing the same with the second Chameleon. Heero, Quatre, and Wu Fei stood nearby.

“…Brave pilot.” Heero said, looking on.

“They saved Duo’s life.” Quatre said.

Wu Fei crossed his arms. “Wait for it.”

The engineers completed the manual release on the cockpit, and the pilot, a woman, tumbled out and landed on her feet. “I’m _fine_ ,” She said, angrily waving off a medic.

Duo paused, and pushed himself to his feet.

“Here we go.” Wu Fei said.

“…Of all the—” Duo reached out and gripped the pilot’s helmet with both hands. He unceremoniously yanked it off her.

Hilde stared back, angrily, and then reached out to yank her helmet back. “Duo.”

Duo leveled a finger at Hilde. “What do you think you were doin’ pulling a stunt like that? You could’ve gotten yourself killed!”

Hilde leveled a finger right back. “If I hadn’t you _would have been_ killed!”

Quatre put his hands behind his back, as the two began to argue. “Oh dear. Should we do something?”

Heero crossed his arms. “No, this fight’s been a long time coming.” He looked on, as the two degenerated into shouting.

“We’ve got it! Get security and a medic over here!” The Engineers said, as they triggered the manual release on the Ki-Rin’s cockpit. The pilot came rolling out onto the floor, and immediately lunged, attacking and bowling over one of the engineers, hands locked on her throat. Security moved in, and the pilot convulsed, as a taser caught them in the ribs – then another, and another. Finally, they collaped to the deck, twitching.

“Medic!” One of the security officers called.

In the meantime, the engineers working on the captured Smaug wrenched open the damaged cockpit. The body of the deceased pilot slipped out and fell to the deck with a wet, heavy thud, and the Engineer who bent to inspect it suddenly paused. “Dear God. It’s a _kid_. _It’s a_ _kid!_ ” She said, horrified, at the dead, damaged face of a teenage girl staring back at her.

Duo and Hilde stopped shouting, as everyone on the deck turned to look.

Lady Une walked over, and gently pushed one of the security team aside. She bent down, and slowly unclasped the Ki-Rin pilot’s helmet. The boy who had been piloting the Ki-Rin stared straight ahead, body twitching, his lip bloody where he had bitten through it. Tears streamed from his eyes.

“…They’re both _children_.” Lady Une said, her eyes half-lidded. “Are they _all children_?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter than some, but it was nice to get back to the action.
> 
> I always felt like Hilde had gotten done dirty by the writers. She's plainly an action girl, but she got pushed into the background.
> 
> Thoughts? Comments?


	10. Interlude 3 - Some Character Notes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some character notes I've developed for myself as I worked on this story, that I'm sharing with you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gonna try to take a break on this again for a few days! Usually when I say that a wave of inspiration hits me, which is a good thing. As always, thoughts, comments, etc. are appreciated.

**Heero:**

* Stoic exterior

* Big nerd energy interior, such a nerd

* Lit nerd, not just tech nerd

* On rare occasion where he gets going he _won't shut up_

* Think of Chibi Heero from 'Go For It Domon W' with his shit-eating grin

* Actually a really nice guy

* Duo is his best friend. Also he likes to troll Duo

* Stealing parts from the Deathscythe was _absolutely_ trolling Duo

* Would follow Relena _anywhere_ and has

* At 30, he's thinking of starting a family

* Biological son of the original Heero Yuy

* Likes dogs

* Will take orders from Quatre no questions asked

* Trowa/Triton and him are Solid

* Respects Wu Fei, but they're not friends

* Only needs 4 hours of sleep a night, but always waits for Relena to wake up

**Duo:**

* Best Pilot

* You try to hit him but he's not there, sucker

* He just picked your pocket

* Overprotective of people he's close to

* Not good at reacting when people he's close to are in trouble

* C-h-a-t-t-y

* Loves Hilde, doesn't know how to be a good husband

* Actually a _really good dad_

* Heero is his best friend, but Heero is _also_ _a dick_

* Can't figure Triton out

* Thinks Quatre needs a vacation

* Actually likes Wu Fei quite a bit as a person

* Gets mom energy of of Relena

**Trowa/Triton:**

* Lots going on under the surface, just call him Mr. Iceberg

* Bisexual - or more correctly Sapiosexual

* Best soldier of the group

* Not the best at close in combat

* Will own you at range

* How did he make that move in a Mobile Suit?

* Why yes, I am very handsome, thank you for the compliment, I _do_ wear this uniform well

* F-I-T spells him

* Focused on figuring himself out after the war, it took awhile

* Self-analytical

* Quatre <3

* He thinks Heero's _hilarious_

* Enjoys Duo's chatter but won't bother to tell him so

* Feels bad for Wu Fei

* A little intimidated by Relena

* Kind of whipped by Cathy, but she knows what's best for him

**Quatre:**

* Needs a vacation

* Too much work to do

* Would you like some tea?

* So nice some people _hate him_

 _*_ Attracted to people based on his emotional connection to them

* Isn't actually attracted to Dorothy but he does respect her

* Will drag the human race into the future, _kicking and screaming_

* Full of empathy, will do what he thinks is best anyway

* Every day is an atonement for his mistakes

* When the pilots are in combat, He's In Charge

* Eventually he will run out of patience

* You don't want to be around when Quatre runs out of patience

* Heero is the heart of outer space

* Feels bad for Duo but also thinks he needs to get his crap together

* Triton <3

* Wu Fei makes him sad

* Might actually be attracted to Relena but happy to be friends

**Wu Fei:**

* Drill Sgt. Nasty

* A Father to his Men

* You will address him as 'Preventer Jade'

* The misogyny was largely a front

* Still mourning Meiran all these years later

* A deeply lonely man

* Who asked you?

* Doesn't think he can do anything but fight

* He's wrong

* Will choose the reasons he fights for himself

* A surprisingly beloved commander

* Either we all go home, or nobody goes home

* Actually likes the other four pilots quite a bit but is stiff-necked about it

**Relena:**

* Won't be intimidated. _Ever_

* The Determinator

* Will follow Heero _anywhere_ , and has

* Wears the coral pink pantsuit in the family

* Could take over the world if she wanted to

* Doesn't want to

* There are still people who want her to

* Crack shot

* We'll find a diplomatic solution - no 'or else', _we'll find a diplomatic solution_

* Knows Heero would do whatever she wants, so she makes a point of factoring his feelings into her choices

* Sees Duo as a kindred spirit

* Quatre is a good friend

* Triton fascinates her in a quiet way

* Wu Fei has just never really come up on her radar

**Hilde:**

* Action Girl

* In love with Duo

* Fed up with Duo

* Has waited at home long enough

* Really really good in a Chameleon MS

* Likes being a Preventer


End file.
